Other side
by Dark Romeo
Summary: Some of us are born with our soul, others must earn it. But some, only the very few, are born with none at all.......
1. Same Shit Different Day

Other Side: By Liam Jackson AKA Dark Romeo  
  
A/N:  
  
"Hey Hey folks its your lovable author here to do the author notes thingy. Now while you are probably saying "wait, this is in the drama section, how can it start off like this?" Well folks that's just how crazy I am, fight the man!"  
  
"But anyway.I know people say that you should never start off with a big project like this, but I will any way. Even if it's a pile of shit, I'll still keep going, you can't stop me!"  
  
"Legally I don't own any of this, except for the new characters, and no im not going to spoil it already! If you want to use them (you sick, SICK person) then you have to grovel, or just ask. I'd prefer the first option but too every man his own."  
  
"Any way enough of my ramblings, your either here for the story, or the food, if you're here the for the food your sadly mistaken. Turn back now before I hurt you!"  
  
"No sorry I shouldn't demean you like that.im sorry"  
  
".Idiot."  
  
Note: "talking" 'thinking' ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------  
  
Shinji awoke yet again, looking at the same ceiling he had learned to call his home. He had never been an easy sleeper, so unlike his roommates he was awake fresh and early from the start. Rubbing the slight pieces of sleep from his eyes, he switched off his buzzing alarm clock, and yawned a little. He got up and stretched, yawned once again, and then turned to his bed.  
  
He straightened the sheets, and fluffed his pillow. Still not satisfied he fussed over the pillows lying place and then looked at it once again. He nodded to himself and walked over to his wardrobe.  
  
Pulling out his white school shirt, and grey school pants he quickly pulled them on. He was in a hurry, as if he did not quickly freshen up then start breakfast, he would face the fury of what is known as 'hungry, drowsy and very irritable women'.  
  
He quietly sidled over to the door and opened it softly. Looking from left to right down the hall, he snuck into the bathroom and quietly shut the door behind him. He opened the cabinet and took out his toothbrush and paste. Looking in the mirror as he cleaned, he frowned a little.  
  
"Still me.." He said, but it sounded downtrodden, as though it was nothing to be proud of.  
  
Spitting, gargling, then quickly putting some cold water on his face to wake him up completely, he applied some deodorant and left the bathroom, sneaking into the kitchen.  
  
He noticed how it was barely light, but he knew that soon Asuka would be up for breakfast as soon as he started cooking. And if he weren't finished by the time she was out of the bathroom, there'd be hell to pay.  
  
He took out the ingredients for breakfast and put on his apron. Turning on the stovetop, he began frying. As he cracked an egg onto the plate, he felt a slight tap on his left leg. Looking down he saw Pen Pen gazing up at him, his eyes pleading.  
  
"Alright then." he said to the warm water bird, and went over to the fridge. He pulled out a can of tuna, opened it and poured it into Pen Pen's bowl. The penguin gave a soft sqwark, it too fearing the wrath of Asuka, and began eating.  
  
Shinji cooked in silence, savouring the quite moment, and he sighed a little. He remembered a saying he'd one heard used on T.V., and thought it very fitting.  
  
"Same Shit, Different Day" he said softly.  
  
Unknown to his feeder, Pen Pen gave a slight nod, and then went back to his meal.  
  
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Asuka awoke from the smell of fresh cooking, and yawned loudly. She grumbled a little as she dressed her self, carefully applying her school uniform. She tied the ribbon around her neck then looked at her self in mirror.  
  
"Still me." she said, and smiled a confident smile.  
  
She applied some lady's deodorant and quickly combed her hair. She applied her hair clips, and smiled at her reflection. She put on her shoes, yawning loudly again, and then walked out the door.  
  
As she finished brushing her teeth, her stomach grumbled. 'That baka better have dinner ready!' she thought 'or his in for a pounding'.  
  
Looking in the bathroom mirror, she smiled even louder 'he does everything I say, at least some people know how to treat me!'  
  
She burst from the bathroom with energy and vigour, the kind she always had. The same air of confidence now sang around her, and she was in her element.  
  
"SHINJI!" she hollered at the kitchen Shinji and Pen Pen both rolled their eyes. Here we go again..  
  
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Shinji was now walking down the road to his school, his head turned towards the ground. Behind him was Asuka, who had instructed that he should walk in front, so he couldn't have a perve.  
  
Shinji didn't mind the walk to school, if he shut out Asuka's ranting about something or other, then he could enjoy some quite time, something he cherished now days.  
  
But Ignoring Asuka was as good as a death wish, as he soon found out.  
  
"Hey Baka!" said Asuka loudly, smacking him on the back of the head. "Im talking to you!"  
  
Shinji jumped a little, then rubbed the back of his head "Sorry." he muttered.  
  
"And stop saying that!" she screeched at him "Any way, so what do you think was going on last night, I mean after we got ejected they kept us all pretty much in the dark."  
  
Shinji simply shrugged "no idea, guess it was big though, hope Rei's ok.."  
  
"Of course she is, she's wondergirl!" Asuka stated in a slightly annoyed voice "She can take anything they throw at her and she keeps getting back up when ordered too. I swear if the commander told her keep going when she lost an arm, she probably still try to salute!"  
  
"Don't talk about her like that" said Shinji meekly. Asuka berating him was one thing, but Rei didn't deserve anything Asuka might say about her.  
  
"What is it Third Child, don't like me talking about your girlfriend like that hmm?"  
  
"No!" said Shinji going red "Its just I...err I mean I.."  
  
"You're so boring you know that right" said Asuka "anyway, there's Hikari, see you later Baka!"  
  
Shinji looked up and saw that they where indeed at the school. He sighed a little, knowing what the day would involve another few hours of lectures. He walked up the front steps, passing some giggling girls as he went in. One was pushed into him and she screamed and ran back into her group extremely red. They where at least two years younger then he was, so he ignored it. But he turned and smiled at the girl anyway. She went red and her friends began their oooo's. All they wanted was the pilot of an Eva, they didn't care about him.  
  
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Shinji sat as his desk, and plugged in his computer. As he waited for it to load, he spied around the room and saw who he was looking for. Rei was sitting by the window as usual, and she seemed to be fine. Shinji couldn't see any bandages on the girl so he presumed the best. But the screams he had heard told him otherwise. Even though she had seemed fine after the plugs where ejected, you could never be sure with Rei.  
  
Deciding to have some backbone, Shinji opened up the messenger system, and quickly typed in a quick question. Sending it off to Rei, he waited for her response.  
  
Rei's response was as he expected, curt and swift, cold and efficient.  
  
I AM FINE PILOT IKARI, AS I SAID LAST NIGHT I HAVE SUFFERED NO LASTING HARM AT ALL  
  
Shinji sighed, well at least her brain wasn't addled or anything.  
  
Then he noticed another message she had sent. He opened it and was surprised by its content.  
  
THANKYOU FOR ASKING  
  
This puzzled Shinji, but he got no more thought as a strong arm gripped around the neck and another nuzzled his skull.  
  
"So Rei hey!" came Touji's voice as he refused to let go "I mean if you like that whole ice queen deal go ahead, cause she is a total babe!"  
  
Shinji felt Touji remove his grip and he massaged his neck. "Its not like that." he said, but his face was going red.  
  
"Yeah sure man, at least it aint the red daemon, I mean you should know better. You live with her for one!"  
  
Shinji frowned at that. "Leave her alone Touji."  
  
"Ok man ok" said Touji raising his arms "didn't mean to offend the wife.."  
  
"Shut up." said Shinji, but he was still smiling. Touji was stupid, but he was Shinji's best friend.  
  
Kensuke showed up at his usual time, and he sat with his group of friends. His camera was out and he filmed everything he could. He stopped for a second and turned his head to Shinji.  
  
"Hey Shinji, ive been hearing some rumours that something big is going to happen, you got any leads."  
  
Shinji smiled a little at this, Kensuke would never change.  
  
"No idea Kensuke" said Shinji, "they tell about as much as you know."  
  
Kensuke looked a little disappointed, but he quickly smiled again "ah I'll find out soon enough, can keep anything from me."  
  
Shinji smiled, as much as Kensuke thought he knew, there was a lot he didn't know about.  
  
Touji though brought down the mood "oh great here comes Satan on legs." He muttered.  
  
Asuka strode in, with Hikari following close by. She smiled at the boys as they drooled over her. But she wouldn't dare talk to them; she was far too good for them.  
  
One boy had the courage to try and talk to her, he sat up a little and said "hey babe" as smoothly as he could.  
  
Asuka simply looked at the boy with devil eyes, and after a while he quavered, then shrugged and looked to his friends, who would have laughed had Asuka not scared them shitless.  
  
Asuka kept walking, her nose in the air nearly, and sat down. Hikari sat down next to her and they began to chat happily.  
  
"Damn man!" said Touji "that bitch needs a big dick to calm her down!"  
  
Kensuke laughed and Shinji smiled, he didn't really find Touji's humour all that funny, but at least someone was happy.  
  
Asuka though heard the laughter and shot devil's eyes at Touji, who promptly gave her the finger. Asuka fumed and stood but Hikari stood beside her and said something they couldn't make out. Asuka sat down and went red while Touji celebrated his little victory. Shinji knew though that he would get his comeuppance, at around 1:00 it would seem.  
  
Hikari went through the usual routine Stand, Bow, Sit. Shinji opened his laptop lid, which he had quickly closed when Touji had surprised him, and began taking notes. But as the old sensei drawled on, he too began to slip into the class's stupour.  
  
He leaned against his desk; it was going to be a long day..  
  
The rest of the day proceeded as normal; at lunch Touji did indeed get what was comeing to him. He now had a large purple bruise on his cheek, which he rubbed and winched over. "Bitch." he muttered under his breath.  
  
Shinji walked home with his friends, Kensuke pleading for him to tell him about this 'rumour' he had heard. Shinji just told him he had no idea what it was, and that was the honest truth. As his two friends parted, he walked home alone. Asuka was on cleanup duty, so she wouldn't be home until about half an hour after Shinji. He hoped Misato was home; he wanted to know what had happened last night. She had not returned with them that night, they where driven home by sector 2.  
  
As he reached the apartment complex, entered the elevator, he thought about Rei. She had said thankyou. But to Rei it could simply be what she had learned as necessary to say. Or maybe she really meant it. It was difficult to tell with her. Shinji pondered this for a while, and he left the elevator and walked to the apartment.  
  
He opened the door and walked in briskly. "Im back!" he said and he got a sqwark in return. He didn't hear Misato, and after inspecting her room it turned out she wasn't back yet. He noticed a message on the Machine.  
  
"Hi you two, now im going to be home late tonight I got a ton of work to get through after last night. Shinji make sure you leave me some dinner, and feed Pen Pen. Asuka try and be nice. Bye guys!"  
  
Misato's voice clicked to a halt and Shinji looked at the time. Pen Pen was watching T.V. and Asuka would be home soon expecting dinner.  
  
Shinji once again took out his ingredients and pron and set to work, once again the sun was barely shining through the window, but this time setting. He went to work, cooking some Japanese noodles for him and Misato, and a little sausage for Asuka. He hummed as he worked, and laid out a bowl for Pen Pen, who would eat when he felt like it.  
  
Asuka came in with the same bravado as usual, and Shinji answered all her questions. "Why is it like this, where is this, what's going on." more of the same she always wanted to know. He sat there eating at the table alone, while Asuka devoured her food in front of the T.V.  
  
After he finished and set the dishwasher, sat at the table and started his homework. It was 10.00 when he decided he needed some sleep. He gave Pen Pen a soft pat on the head, and said goodnight to Asuka, who merely grunted in return, her eyes stuck on the T.V.  
  
He closed the door and stripped to his boxers, folding his clothes neatly in a pile to be put in the wash tomorrow.  
  
He lay down and started to listen to his SDAT. Track 26 poured through his ears and he felt his mind start to wander, a sure sign of sleep.  
  
"Same Shit, Different Day." he murmured again to the ceiling, and his eyes drooped, then closed.  
  
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Else where, in a dark office, Gendou Ikari and his ex-sensei Fuyutski where talking over a game of chess.  
  
"So it's on its way?" said Fuyutski to his commander, while moving his bishop into place for the kill. He rarely beat Gendou at this game, and he knew that he was planning something inside that head of his.  
  
"Yes, along with its cargo I might add," said the elder Ikari, whose knight swept the Bishop away.  
  
"Will this.upstart.fit in with the plan?" question the older man as he looked at the bored, what are you playing at Ikari? He moved his pawn into place, the trap was set.  
  
"Maybe" said Gendou "but we will compromise, the plan cannot fail, and it is to late to turn back." Gendou moved his queen into place, and Fuyutski saw the trap that he had missed.  
  
"I see, is that wise?" Fuyutski was trapped, but he knew there MUST be a way out of this. He saw it and moved his own queen into the right square, ready to take Gendou's all-powerful piece.  
  
"We have no choice, but remember Fuyutski," Ikari said quietly as his knight leaped forward and devoured the queen, Fuyutski now ruined. "Always have a back up plan,"  
  
Fuyutski knew now that there was no escape; he had been beaten once again  
  
"Check mate.."  
  
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A/N  
  
"Oohhh yeah.that's it baby.uh I mean hey! So you've finished already huh (knew I shoulda dragged out that scene with the two evil old men longer!) so what did you think? If you liked It then please tell me, if you hated it then tell me so I can mail you back with stupid letters of insults and such. If you thought it was so-so and could point out some things to improve it, then go nuts. Please note I will continue this no matter what, I have no social life so I got nothing better to do.  
  
This is a big shout out from the great OZ y'all (wait that's Americanised, damn you catchy RnB tunes!!!!)"  
  
Liam Jackson AKA Dark Romeo.. 


	2. Synch tests

Other Side: By Liam Jackson AKA Dark Romeo  
  
A/N:  
  
Ha ha! So your back hey, I knew you couldn't resist my fanfic, no living man has. Women are the real problem, but we all know about that! Right Kids?  
  
Any who as you can see im simply speaking more random things, as you should expect by now. In the last chapter nothing much happened, except for Gendou and his faithful sidekick Fuyutski throwing caution to the wind with their evil plotting. Damn old men, why are they always so evil. Unless they're in Jackie-Chan films, then there funny and perverted at the same time! Woohoo the real can-cun.wait a tick.  
  
Uh like I was saying, im going to keep doing this no matter what you say cause im an Australian, so screw you all!!!!! HA HA HA!!!!  
  
(Note: please all you yanks.I mean Americans ignore that.im not a terrorist, I swear just don't bomb me.please!)  
  
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Chapter two: Sync tests  
  
Shinji awoke once again in the morning to the sound of his buzzing alarm clock. As usual he was a good morning person and neatly stood up and dressed himself. Going through his usual routine, he decided to take a quick shower as his smell was starting to eat through the deodorant.  
  
Turning on the hot water, he waited for it to heat up, and then he applied some cold water and fiddled with the taps to get the perfect temperature. Satisfied, he stripped off his clothes and got in, letting the warmth soak over him. It felt nice, and comforting, and he closed his eyes and smiled a little. Washing his hair with his hands, he decided he had no time for shampoo or conditioners, as his hair would be fine for the day. He relaxed in the shower for about 5 minuets then rubbed some soap along his body. He rinsed, and then repeated the process till he was happy he smelled decent. Well decent enough for a teen age boy.  
  
He stepped out of the shower, and began to dress. He caught his reflection in the mirror, and saw how scrawny his body truly was. But he did not desire muscle, as he had no want to hurt people. Just maybe if he wasn't so skinny the other boys wouldn't smirk at him in gym class, and the girls wouldn't make comments behind his back.  
  
He sighed a world-weary sigh, and finished getting dressed. Knowing he had limited time to get breakfast together he hurried softly down the hall into the kitchen. It was time to start it all again.  
  
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Asuka as usual was up, and did not talk to him this morning. She was grumpy, and Shinji figured it was just once of those days, or 'that' time of the month again. A normal teenage boy would have tried to crack a joke at this, but Shinji knew better. Asuka was like a gas leak if it was that certain time, just waiting for a spark to ignite her fury.  
  
Misato crawled out of her room next, barely dressed and yawing profusely. She scratched her tummy and gave a belch, then opened the fridge to have a beer. As she gulped down the beer she let out a great sigh and relaxed in her chair.  
  
"Your such a slob Misato!" said Asuka to her guardian, "honestly if you didn't have your 'pet' here to look after you then I think you might not survive more then a week!"  
  
"I'll have you know that before Shinji even got here I was running this place pretty smoothly, right Shinji?"  
  
Misato hugged her tummy, making her breasts perk up a little more, and turned towards Shinji with a look of total innocence.  
  
"Er." was Shinji got out, as he remembered the state it was in when he arrived. Bags of trash 4 bags high, only beer and instant Ramen in the fridge and who could forget the filth on the ground. Old underwear, beer cans and other things Shinji couldn't identify all over the place.  
  
Asuka though took Shinji's stammer in a different way, and she went very red in the face.  
  
"Shinji you pervert!" she screamed, "Its disgusting enough watching her eat, but do you have to drool over her breasts as well!"  
  
Shinji started to blush heavily. "I wasn't!" he argued, but his face was now even redder then it was before. He tried looking away, but Misato knew that some fun was going to be at hand.  
  
"Aww its ok Shinji, I don't mind," she cooed to her charge and leaned forward, now showing more cleavage then before.  
  
"MISATO!" yelled both Shinji and Asuka.  
  
Misato burst out laughing and in one quick gulp finished her beer. "You two...BURP.are so easy to rile up you know that right!"  
  
Asuka went red with anger; she didn't have to take this, especially from an alcoholic like Misato!  
  
"C'mon Shinji where leaving!" She said grabbing him by the scruff on the neck.  
  
"But what about breakfast!" protested Shinji, and he was dealt a smack to the head and a hand on his ear.  
  
"Ouch! OUCH! Ok we'll leave!"  
  
Misato chuckled at the two, when they did this it was so cute!  
  
"Have fun at school you two, and remember you have synch tests after school so don't be late!"  
  
"Ok Misato" came Shinji's voice, followed by a yelp and a few German curses as the red head kicked him out the door and down the hall.  
  
Misato lay back and belched again. Pen Pen walked up to her with a beer and placed it in her hand.  
  
"Thanks Pen Pen."  
  
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Asuka and Shinji would walk in silence today. Asuka was too busy fuming to pay Shinji any attention and he really didn't mind at all. He decided it was time for some music, and he pulled his SDAT player out of his pocket. Turning to his favourite track, and hitting the play button, he applied the earplugs and bowed his head.  
  
The soft music flowing through his ears calmed the boy, and he was almost happy. But if a person really knew Shinji, he was never happy. He had the look of a puppy that had been kicked too often, and was now staring at the people as they walked by in the street. Sad and downcast, yet still pleading, as though it was waiting for one of those people to pick it up and take it too a new place.  
  
Asuka looked at Shinji and all she saw was weakness. He was skinny, and he had often heard him crying in his sleep. A part of her told her that it was cruel to think this way, and that even though his body was feeble, his face was still quite cute. But as usual Asuka shut that voice out. He WAS weak. That was how she knew she was better then he was, and it would stay that way, no matter what!  
  
They continued walking like this, in total silence. If people saw them they wouldn't think anything of it, but if they could see in their heads they would see what was really going on. Here was a boy, totally lost in his music, but still with a heavy heart. And next to him was the intense hatred of almost everything (bar her self of course) that was throwing evil thoughts at everything that crossed her path.  
  
So they continued, two totally different people, as it always would be.  
  
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Morning classes had once again been a total waste of time, and Shinji was thankful that he could now finally eat his lunch. His stomach rumbled in frustration, begging its owner to eat. Shinji sat with his two friends and began to take a few bites of his sandwich.  
  
Across the table was Touji, or as he was more widely known this time of day, 'stomach'. Before him sat a huge feast of club sandwiches, salami, noodles, soft drink and rolls. Touji ate as much as he did because of all the energy he burned off during the day. As he played basketball outside as well as in school, and also attended Kendo lessons, he had constant training and games every day of the week. This didn't give him much spare time, but Touji lived for his sport. Which is why people thought he would make it big, the boy breathed his sport, and had the skills and ambition to go a long way.  
  
Kensuke had a rather smaller lunch. Simply an apple and one sandwich was all he had on the table. His dad was away a lot at work to support the two of them and his grandparents. So he had to make it himself, and he was by no means a good cook, or his grandma did. And she was very old.  
  
Kensuke pulled out his camera, and pointed it at Touji.  
  
"And here lady's and gentleman we have the rare 'Idious Stomachius Maximus' at his feeding ground. Here he is king, this is his territory. One can only wonder how such a fat bastard can be so skinny"  
  
"Fuck you!" said Touji and food flew out of his mouth onto Kensuke's camera.  
  
"Hey watch it!" said Kensuke as he wiped the chewed up food onto the ground "this thing costs more then you!"  
  
Touji laughed, sending more food everywhere and Shinji and Kensuke had to shield themselves.  
  
Then Touji stopped and swallowed quickly as he noticed something behind Kensuke. His friends turned to see Hikari walking towards them, something in her hand.  
  
"Why what a stroke of luck this is!" said Kensuke "It seems our specimen has noticed a possible mate, and will now pathetically attempt to use what he thinks is charm. The mating dance of such a species is so utterly pitiful, that one can only wonder how."  
  
"Shut up Ken!" said Touji and he raised his fist.  
  
"See how he meets us with violence."  
  
"I said shut up!"  
  
Hikari walked over to Touji and smiled. "Hi Touji, look heres that assignment sheet you wanted, sorry it wasn't at my house." With that Hikari handed the boy a sheet of paper.  
  
Touji took it as though in slow motion.  
  
"Um thanks," he said  
  
"Anytime."  
  
Hikari turned and left and walked away towards a group of girls, one of which was Asuka.  
  
Shinji and Kensuke looked at Touji  
  
"So um buddy" said Kensuke "when did you 'go over' to her house"  
  
"I didn't.. I mean uh yesterday when I didn't get that assignment sheet." Said Touji, obviously thinking hard.  
  
"I don't remember ever getting an assignment" said Shinji, deciding to join in a little.  
  
"IKARI!" said Touji, "uh I mean, uh, it's a special one, im falling behind!"  
  
"Well THAT I can believe" said Kensuke "so I'll leave you for now, but remember Touji, I can find out ANYTHING!"  
  
Then came an ear-piercing scream.  
  
"SHINJI!!!!"  
  
"Alas the herd must flee now, for the enemy is now approaching, this is Kensuke in wild life adventures!"  
  
The boys fled.  
  
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Touji was playing basketball now, Shinji and Kensuke watching as he competed with all the other jocks. He tried a three pointer and made a perfect swish and the opposing team groaned. He grinned and ran to his end of the court.  
  
Touji was still thinking of a good excuse of why Hikari had given him that letter. She obviously wanted him to use that story, but against Kensuke he might as well say that he got down on his knees and licked her out in the change rooms.  
  
He knew why Hikari had lied, and it was probably a smart idea. Cause only he had noticed that the letter was scented.  
  
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School ended and Shinji was left behind on cleanup. He and Rei where there together, so Asuka now had a chance to walk with Hikari to Nerv, which she lived surprisingly near. Well seeing as her house was one that fell into the ground when an angel attacked, and that her dad was in charge of some department or whatever, it wasn't too surprising.  
  
"So that letter." started Asuka and Hikari blushed.  
  
"OH GOD!" said Asuka far too loud "you didn't ACTUALLY give it to the dumb jock did you!"  
  
"He's not a dumb jock. He has a sensitive side." Said Hikari blushing even more.  
  
"You're kidding me," said Asuka "I mean he's probably laughing at it now with the other stooges."  
  
"He wouldn't!" said Hikari "would he?"  
  
Asuka seeing that she could get her friend upset, tried being a little compassionate.  
  
"Well I hope not, I mean if he laughs at that he's just lost the best girl he could get!" she said "but don't get your hopes up, that's all."  
  
Hikari smiled "Thanks Asuka, and I'm not"  
  
Then she smiled.  
  
"Hey what's the joke?" said Asuka, curious as to why the sudden smile, and now forming blush.  
  
"Well he is sweet sometimes" started Hikari "but I've seen him when he plays basketball and takes off his shirt, and he's body is really.."  
  
"Hot?" said Asuka smiling a little "what you fridget now? Even I can admit that, even though he is stupid and vile."  
  
"He's not" said Hikari, deciding to tell her friend everything "there's was also this time at the school sports he had to wear running shorts.well I have to say he IS very well off.."  
  
"HIKARI!!!!" said Asuka, now in shock as her friend began to giggle "Your nearly as perverted as them!"  
  
"As if you dont look." said Hikari now in the fit of intense giggles.  
  
"But not at HIM" retorted Asuka savagely.  
  
"Oh so who then?" mused Hikari "Kensuke, maybe your into the smart guys, or maybe."  
  
"Shinji"  
  
"NO!" screamed Asuka blocking her ears and running down the road. "NEVER EVER IN A MILLION YEARS!"  
  
Hikari chased her friend laughing, still throwing comments about a certain boy at her all the way down the road.  
  
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Shinji looked over at Rei as she washed the floor with her mop. He had said before hat she looked like a mother, and he had been telling the truth. He couldn't really explain why he felt she was like this. There was just..well..something about her. He went back to cleaning the table, knowing he had to save his energy. Synch tests may be boring but they often were very tiring at the same time.  
  
Rei was lost in her own thought again. She cleaned almost automatically; she had always known how to do this. The commander had said it had been passed on from 'her'. Rei didn't like that, but she had no say in it. She would have to live with it, if one could call this living. She was a shadow, but she did not mind. It was comforting to know that as long as she was this shadow then the commander would still talk to her. She could feel that her arms where becoming harder to move, and knew that tonight she would have to bathe. It would be a late night for Miss Ayanami..  
  
Finally the teacher on duty was satisfied with their work and let them go. The other students walked towards their homes, but Rei and Shinji couldn't go home yet. But neither of them truly called it a home. Shinji some times called it home, but in his mind he had no home. He often thought of it as a home, but as always this thought would fade. It wasn't as if he didn't appreciate Misato taking him in, but there was something lacking.  
  
Rei did not call where she lived home either. It was where she stayed to sleep and bathe only. A place where a majority of her time was spent. She had read that people would defend their homes, that they felt at peace in their homes and that they kept it tidy for their own pleasure. She felt none of theses things, and at times she felt.no wait she thought that she should feel like that. But she did not, and in true Rei fashion anything she didn't understand was not needed. The commander had told her that he taught her everything she needed to know, and that she did not need anything else. She had complied of course, but at times despite herself she became curious.  
  
That of course is why she spent so much time staring out the window even thought it was mostly just watching the world go by. Not trying to understand them. But she often wondered how it would feel to.well.feel. She had not experienced many emotions. She had never felt rage or fear. She had never been sad enough to cry and had never been happy enough to truly smile.  
  
Even if she had felt these emotions she would not know it. She had merely read about, or been told how they should feel. But there was one time..  
  
When Shinji had asked her to smile, she had complied. Not because she was happy, but because she had been told to do so. But when she saw his face when she smiled she felt.. she could not explain it. And that confused her. There! Another emotion that she had felt, totally against her will. Rei was never confused, to her there was only black and white, right and wrong, orders to be followed and not questioned. But even the slightest of sparks in whatever caused these feelings had made her brain question what was going on. It felt..  
  
Strangely good.  
  
Rei and Shinji continued in silence, both lost deep in their own minds.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------  
  
"So what are the scores like Ritsu?" asked the Major as she leant over the controls.  
  
"Well." started the doctor "Asuka's are the same as always, jumping from 81 to 79%. Rei's are at about 65% and don't seem to waver too much, just one point wither way."  
  
"And Shinji?"  
  
"He's progress is astounding. He's on a steady 77%!"  
  
"That's ten points up from last time!" said a surprised Misato.  
  
"Indeed" said Ritsuko "If he keeps this up he'll pass Asuka by next week!"  
  
"She won't like that." trailed Misato, "But it'll help Shinji's confidence a hell of a lot. With the way Asuka treats him a one up will be good"  
  
"Yeah I guess." said Ritsuko " I wonder why he keeps getting better, I mean he's never had any training, and he's commitment to the Eva's isn't so high either."  
  
"You're the doctor!" said Misato "You figure it out!"  
  
Ritsuko though already had a very good idea of why this was so. 'Are you doing this?' she thought as she typed in a few things on the computer.  
  
Misato looked at the three pilots on the vid-screen and found her thoughts drawn to each one. They where all completely different, in every aspect. There was Rei, who Misato didn't know that well. She had never really spoken to the girl past orders, and when she tried she was met with replies as though she was still giving them. She creeped her out, hell, she creeped everybody out.  
  
Asuka was the opposite. She was confident, well more like arrogant and she expressed her self very often. People when first meeting her thought she was just a bitch, seeing the way that she put other people down to feel superior, although she thought very differently. Spoilt brat pretty much summed her up, thinking she was better then everyone so they should grovel at her feet. Misato had thought that (and more) when she first met the girl. Even at a young age she was the same, and now that her body was maturing quickly she was even worse then before. But Misato had heard in her sleep, crying, calling for her mother. She was still a lost little girl, trying to be grown up and superior. And reading her file backed it up, Misato pitied her.  
  
Shinji was different as well. The kid had been through hell, and now he was treated like dirt. Misato tried to help him, to show that she cared, but it never helped. Shinji was either just not listening or had gone so far that he no longer felt that anyone could care. Asuka treating him like shit didn't help, how she could was beyond Misato. Sometimes it was cute when they argued, looking like an old couple. But most of the time it was sad, Asuka was just a bully when it came to Shinji, and he never fought back. Why was another thing Misato couldn't understand, he could easily overpower Asuka, but for some reason he allowed the abuse to keep happening.  
  
Misato sighed a deep sigh, the sigh of someone who has grown up too fast and now wants their youth back. A sigh of someone who has seen too much, more then any person ever should. She had, her whole generation had. Even though to Shinji and Asuka and even Rei second impact seemed like an eternity ago, to her generation it was still very much real. Most could remember it well, but none better then Misato.  
  
She pushed her thoughts down again, only knowing that they would return as nightmares. But she had too; she felt that if she broke down then Shinji would break down.  
  
"Ok kids" said Ritsuko into the microphone "you can get out now, but you have to report to the briefing room for a bit after wards"  
  
"Aww man!" came Asuka's reply through the speakers "what else can you people make me do!"  
  
"It will only take five minuets Asuka" came Ritsuko's reply; she then turned the microphone off. She didn't want or need an argument with Asuka.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------  
  
After changing back into their clothes, they where now all seated in the briefing room. The sub-commander walked into the front of the room to address the 'troops'. Seeing at was only three people though it wasn't much of an armada. To the sides where Misato and Ritsuko.  
  
"Ok you three" said Fuyutski "im here on behalf the commander to tell you about a new.complication we are now going to have."  
  
"Did he break his glasses now?" said Asuka quietly, but not too quietly.  
  
Fuyutski continued un-abated "in three days there will be a group of ambassadors from the UK, mostly from England, and they will be here for two days."  
  
"So?" Asuka again.  
  
"They are bringing a special cargo Pilot Sorhyu," said Fuyutski looking down on the girl, she would learn her place here..  
  
"With them is Eva-05, and Pilot..." Fuyutski looked over his papers "O'Neil"  
  
"WHAT!" said Asuka out loud "YOU MEAN ANOTHER IDIOT I HAVE TO LIVE THROUGH!"  
  
"That will be quite enough Pilot!" said Fuyutski sternly. Like the commander his voice could command authority when needed. Asuka sat down, but she didn't look happy. Shinji knew what he was in for tonight.  
  
"In three days on the night of their arrival we will be having a ball in honour of our guests" continued Fuyutski "and I have been sent to tell you these instructions."  
  
"All pilots must have a partner for the dance, except for Rei who has a special task to uphold. Second no one other then Nerv personnel will be attending this ball, so it seems that pilot Ikari and Sorhyu will be partners."  
  
"NO WAY!" yelled Asuka "ANYONE BUT THIS BAKA!"  
  
"These are the commanders orders pilot" said Fuyutski "and you have no choice in the matter, you will attend the ball with pilot Ikari whether you like it or not"  
  
Asuka opened her mouth to argue, but Fuyutski look told her she was beaten. She sat down and glared at Shinji before turning away.  
  
"Lastly you are to treat our guests with respect, do not anger them or offend them in anyway, or there will be major repercussions, am I understood!"  
  
"Hai" came the reply.  
  
"Very well then.Dismissed."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------  
  
The ride home was less then comfy, after dropping Rei off, who left with a eerie 'good bye' they where on their way to the apartment listening to Asuka's rants.  
  
"Great" she muttered "not only do I have to deal with the doll and Baka boy I also have to deal with some snot nosed Pom as well!"  
  
Misato chuckled.  
  
"I thought that too" she said "but it turns out he's not British, he's Irish."  
  
"Even better" said Asuka "A crazy drunk, we already have Misato!"  
  
"HEY!" said Misato "Im not a drunk!"  
  
"Whatever rummy" replied Asuka.  
  
Misato was fuming a little and Shinji chose to keep quite. When she calmed downShinji decided to pipe up.  
  
"Um Misato?" he said "I read about Ireland one, and as I recall the Celtic race were wiped out."  
  
Misato looked at Shinji then turned back to the road. "That's what I was taught as well, Asuka you know anything about it?"  
  
Asuka rolled her eyes and muttered something in German.  
  
"Ireland was wiped out nearly" she said "before it sunk completely into the ocean the few remaining migrated to Scotland asking England to give them a new land. The British where never fond of the Irish and told them they could share Scotland. But then the Irish retaliated."  
  
"So along with all the European wars Britain had to dea with that as well. The Irish blew up most of the cities and killed thousands until the British finally beat their armies."  
  
"So what happened?" asked Misato  
  
"Well they travel around Europe now" said Asuka "in trailers, their no better then gypsies though. They keep to themselves mostly; some stayed in England and formed an unofficial country there. From what I recall when one of their clans stopped in my hometown, they were terrified of dying out so only married other Irish families."  
  
"Interesting." said Misato "that explains why it said no hometown on his file."  
  
"Their just a bunch of wandering drunks Misato, they're violent, untrustworthy and steal everything they get their hands on then sell it for stupid things like caravans and food."  
  
"Im sure they're not that bad" said Misato "I mean aren't all Germans supposed to be quite and hard?"  
  
"Fuck you Misato!" retaliated Asuka "Im telling you, in Europe we where always taught to avoid them, half of them cant read for Christ sake!"  
  
"I still dont believe you" said Misato.  
  
"What ever, you believe me right Shinji"  
  
"Im dont know," said Shinji quietly staring at the floor.  
  
"Whaddya mean you don't know!" said Asuka harshly "are you stupid!"  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"AND STOP SAYING SORRY!!!!"  
  
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A/N:  
  
MUHAHAHA!!!  
  
No this is not an SI, just because this new character is Irish does not mean anything. I mean if anything im more like Shinji, honest! Please don't hurt me, please..I wet myself I panic!  
  
Anyway, this is the second chapter, and it has come to my attention that my new story has not been reviewed. I am very disappointed in all of you, yeah even you! You all make me sick! I know that im probably not going to get any because of this constant abuse I throw at you, but hey if you review you can at least tell me how shit my story is.  
  
Note: if you say my story is utterly crap (like being unfair about it) I will not report you. You dont get off that easy. If anyone burns this fic with out just cause I will personally send you a lemon fic involving Fuyutski and Gendou, along with Celine Dions whole set of 'Karaoke Special" Music Cd.you have been warned.  
  
Any way please RnR, I need a life! 


	3. The Ball

Other side: By Liam Jackson AKA Dark Romeo.  
  
A/N:  
  
Ah my brothers (and sisters, or whatever) so you have once again returned to my fic. By now you are probably agreeing that it is the greatest fic ever to be made by human kind. So when I have finished it I must ask you to gouge out your eyes so that you may never see it again, and cut of your tongue so that you may not even speak of its magnificence. But apparently we live in a democracy now, so I cant MAKE you do anything. But if you would it would be really nice!  
  
Any way all of you can probably tell where this fic is going, but I just purchased all the Evangelion episodes, so if I've made any mistakes thus far no more will occur, and if they do then blame it on Eskimo's. No seriously, they're trying to take over our world!  
  
Uh...any who im just going to be quite now and start typing, it is getting far too late and my eye hurts from the computers glow. Read and enjoy, and review for Christ's sake!  
  
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Chapter 3: The Ball  
  
Shinji slumped down into his chair at the table and sighed a deep sigh. Why was his life so hard? He had just spent the last night trying to find a suit to wear, finally finding one that would fit, and then falling asleep on the couch. Because of this he ended up missing the alarm and breakfast (god forbid) and was kicked down the road by Asuka into school.  
  
Asuka was no picnic either. She had done nothing but complain about the dance and the fact that she was partnered with him. This hurt Shinji; He didn't mind being partnered with Asuka at all. But she seemed to be convinced that when they had to dance he would screw it up and step on her feet. He had taken basic dancing lessons when he was young, so he wasn't going to screw it up. He wasn't a good dancer though, and Asuka would try to show him up as usual. He really didn't mind though.  
  
"You see buddy" said Touji through a mouthful of food "guys at shin-digs like this aren't meant to have fun. These things where built by the women kind and your just an accessory to show off. It's your job to say things when she wants to hear them, and to be quiet most of the time. Let her have her fun and you'll cruise through with no trouble!"  
  
This bit of wisdom was surprising coming from Touji, but Shinji saw some truth in it. Why else would they get so dolled up to see a bunch of business men kiss each others ass's, as Kensuke had so kindly put it. Touji snapped him back to the present  
  
"So Shinji my man, you getting her a gift or anything?"  
  
"Wha-?" said Shinji.  
  
"You know man, flowers or something! Chick stuff!"  
  
"Oh" replied Shinji "No, I dont think Asuka would like something like that from me....."  
  
"Believe me buddy, she will. I mean you have a point she is a psycho bitch, but she is still a girl. One with serious PMS problems that is"  
  
Shinji smiled a little and thought about what he could buy Asuka. She would hate chocolate, and anything expensive would make her even madder. He settled on buying her a rose, yeah she would like that. Right?  
  
Shinji ate in silence as he thought of the best way to present this gift. It would have to be perfect timing. Unfortunately Shinji didn't have much experience with the female variety, so his mind was working over time. He finished his lunch and went back inside. Time to start another boring period.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------  
  
Shinji walked home alone today. Asuka had gone home early to get ready for the ball. Who would have thought three days could have just drifted by like that. He decided now would be a good time to buy Asuka her flower. He knew a place on the way, and also knew it was cheap.  
  
As he entered the store and pulled out his wallet, he realised how little money he had. To him this was confusing, didn't he save the world on a regular basis. I mean he should at LEAST get paid for it. Deciding to leave this for later, he asked the old man at the counter for one red rose.  
  
"I know you" said the man as he went and got the flower from its bunch "your one of those pilots yeah?"  
  
Shinji nodded and handed him the Yen.  
  
"Well who ever this is for, im sure she's very lucky my boy" grinned the old man as he took the money and put it in the register. "Tell you what, take this as well. It's the least I owe you for saving all our lives."  
  
He handed him a small package and smiled a little. Shinji thanked him and left.  
  
Opening the package he found it contained a small bottle of perfume. He sniffed it. It smelled like flowers, very pretty and sweet scented flowers. It was totally clear and didn't say what the ingredients where. He shrugged and put it in his pocket, and began to walk home.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------  
  
Shinji opened the apartment door and was greeted by Pen Pen. The bird looked up at him and squawked, pointing to the fridge.  
  
"So no one fed you this morning hey?" said Shinji softly "ok then....."  
  
Shinji walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge. Taking the flower out from under his shirt and resting it on the table, he opened the can of tuna. He leant over to put it in the bowl but Pen Pen snatched it from his hand and started gorging himself.  
  
Shinji shrugged and left the Penguin to his own devices. Turning down the hall he doubled back for the flower. He didn't know whether to give it to Asuka now. Running water in the bathroom meant she was still freshening up, and Shinji thought he might as well get it over with.  
  
He walked up to the door and knocked lightly.  
  
"Yes Third Child!" came an irritated reply.  
  
"Um I...uh I...bought you something for tonight...um I'll just leave it by the door ok?"  
  
All he got was a grunt, so he put down the flower and package and went into his room to change.  
  
He heard the bathroom door opening and shutting and presumed that Asuka had accepted the gift. He went back to getting changed.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------  
  
It took only ten minuets for Shinji to get changed, and he decided he would have to wear some fresh deodorant so as not to displease his partner. He walked down the hall and found the bathroom free. So he walked in and opened the mirror door. Inside he found some men's cologne that he had owned but never really used much. After applying that around his neck he used some deodorant on his armpits and chest. Sniffing himself he decided he smelt decent enough to go.  
  
Walking out into the lounge room he sat down on the couch. The suit he was wearing was what the majority of the male body would have on. A black jacket and black pants, with a white t-shirt underneath. He didn't have a bowtie as Misato had suggested, mainly because he had no idea how to put one on. That and black formal shoes and his outfit was complete.  
  
He glanced at his watch. It was 9:30; the ball would start in half an hour. How Asuka could take so long was beyond him. Misato had been at work today but apparently would be changing there then picking them up. If she took as long as Asuka did then the ball would be over before they even got there.  
  
After about fifteen minuets of waiting Shinji heard the door open. Perking up his head he looked in the direction of the door and saw Misato walk quickly in. She was wearing that same black dress, the one that hugged her body very well. It also showed a fair bit of cleavage and Shinji tried not to blush.  
  
"Oh hey Shinji!" said Misato as she sat down on the couch next to him "my don't you look handsome!"  
  
Shinji blushed even harder and muttered a soft "thankyou".  
  
"Oooo are you embarrassed Shin-kun?" teased Misato "well you should know if I didn't all ready have a date then I reckon I'd dance with you in a second if you look like that!"  
  
"Misato!" Shinji blurted as he went a shade of red unknown to mankind.  
  
Misato laughed and switched on the T.V. A soppy show lit up the screen and Shinji started watching, only half interested. Then they heard the door opening. Asuka briskly walked out.  
  
Shinji's jaw dropped, as did pen pens as they both saw the sight in front of them. Asuka was wearing a beautiful red dress with matching red high heels. The dress it self showed a bit of cleavage, but not as much as Misato's. Her hair was the same as always and the clips where still in place, but it seemed as though it was sparkling somehow. Also Shinji noticed, stuck behind her left ear, was the rose Shinji had bought her.  
  
"Well Shinji at least you look decent" she said with a smile, but still in the same arrogant tone she always had.  
  
"And Misato..... are you sure you'll be allowed to wear that dress?"  
  
Misato laughed "of course, and you look very elegant Asuka, a real lady!"  
  
"Why thank you, although I dont hear any praise from the baka here!"  
  
Shinji simply stared, she looked stunning! He was literally lost for words!  
  
"Ugh pervert....." she said "So Misato are we going to leave now?"  
  
"If you two are ready," replied Misato.  
  
The trio walked out the door, Shinji still in shock as he walked. Pen Pen sighed, well he was a penguin so it was more like a soft, slow sqwark. 'But now' he thought to himself 'at least I can take Misato's beer.' ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------  
  
The limo ride to the hall was, well, interesting. Asuka kept on making comments about Shinji, all of which were critical. Misato was helping herself to the drinks that came with the limo. Shinji simply sat and took Asuka's abuse as usual, saying sorry when she took a breath.  
  
Soon, far too soon for Shinji's liking, the limo stopped. The trio exited through the doors and looked up at the hall. Like all the buildings in Tokyo-3 it was reinforced with steel, and simply looked like a squalid hunk of square metal driven into the ground. But it was probably very beautiful on the inside; after all if Nerv had hired it, it was most likely the best you could get.  
  
"Well baka!" said Asuka taking his arm in hers "time to let you see the great Asuka Langley Soryhu dance these English men away!"  
  
Shinji was dragged along towards the door and saw Misato laughing at them. He managed to yell out "Aren't you coming?" But he never heard the answer.  
  
They entered what appeared to be the lobby. It had a deep red carpet, and the walls where brightly polished marble. Marble pillars also ran up the middle of the room, which gave it a sense of a walkway.  
  
A large group of people where standing around the lobby. Shinji didn't really know who many of them where, he figured that they probably worked in the political department. Shinji of course was in the defence department, and had met the security department on not the best of terms.  
  
He recognised Hyuga standing next to a pretty young lady, far too pretty for a computer geek like Hyuga. She was all smiles and held his arm very tightly all the time. Hyuga was always stealing glances at her, but seemed nervous to make a move. Shinji was confused, why would he be nervous if she agreed to be here with him. He shrugged and saw some other people he knew.  
  
Makoto was standing back from the crowd just watching the scene, risking a perve when he could. Shinji moved his gaze to Maya, who was looking a little downtrodden and kept throwing glances at a small group of people in the other side of the hall. Following her gaze he saw a sight that sucked the spine right out of him.  
  
His father was standing next to Ritsuko, their arms linked. This surprised Shinji, Ritsuko! He took a bit to accept what was in front of him, and noticed that Rei was standing next to his father, looking at the wall blankly. They were talking to a group of men who didn't look Japanese so he presumed they where the ambassadors.  
  
Before Shinji could get a closer look though he heard a bell chime and the crowd of people started to move towards two great oaken doors at the end of the lobby.  
  
"C'mon baka!" hissed Asuka and Shinji fell into line. He followed Asuka towards the doors, and as they opened up he surveyed the grand hall in front of them.  
  
The middle of the hall was empty, with a large semi circle of chairs closest to the crowd. Two large staircases filled the rest of the circle around the dance floor (which was what Shinji presumed it was) and they led to a large balcony over hanging the dance floor, the stairways on either side. There was a large arch window that lead to an outside balcony. A full moon shone through the large window.  
  
Under the Balcony was a stage, which had a classical band setting up, and to its side was a bar.  
  
"They really went over the top this time......" came a whisper that made Shinji jump.  
  
Misato giggled as Shinji composed himself and glared at her. "Sorry kid" she said with a grin. She stood arm in arm with Kaji.  
  
"Hi Mister Kaji" said Shinji meekly and Kaji grinned his own lady killer smile back at him.  
  
"Hey Shinji, so I see we both got here with the girls of our dreams?"  
  
Asuka and Misato fumed and said at once "I'm only with this jerk because they made me do it."  
  
"That's not what you said last night Mi-Chan..." trailed Kaji  
  
"WHY YOU LITTLE BAST.......!" She nearly finished but Shinji nudged her sharply. "Misato the ambassadors!"  
  
Misato deflated as she saw a few ambassadors look at her disapprovingly. She fumed and Shinji swore he heard her mutter something about getting her own back.  
  
They where beckoned to their tables and Shinji sat down quietly. He was offered some wine but he refused. Asuka on the other hand grabbed it off the waiter and gulped it down quickly.  
  
"You've been hanging around Misato too much Asuka" said Kaji.  
  
Asuka beamed at Kaji and Shinji felt a sudden lurch in his stomach, even though she was here with him she still wanted to rub up into Kaji.  
  
The table they where on was not as big as the other tables, but right up the front. It had a card in the centre that read OPERATIVE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT, with their names on their own respective cards.  
  
Shinji noticed that Rei's seat was empty, and that the seat next to hers was unmarked. For about 15 minuets people talked and drunk among themselves as the band set up. Misato drank more then others, having now finished one bottle and demanding another a little too loudly. Kaji was trying to calm her, making nervous glances at the table where the English ambassadors sat. They seemed to have deemed Misato a problem and followed her with their eyes, each with a look of disapproval.  
  
Then one of the microphones came to life and a cough brought everyone's attention onto the stage. Fuyutski stood and coughed once more to make sure everyone was listening.  
  
"Ladies and gentleman of Nerv, I would like to welcome you all to the first annual Nerv ball. I am sure that you all would like to welcome our friends from the British branch to our country, and I trust you will make tonight a lovely evening for not only them but yourselves."  
  
There was a small clap, Fuyutski voice was very rehearsed as though he didn't mean any of this.  
  
"And now I would like to hand the stage to Mr. Gendou Ikari."  
  
Gendou walked up to the mike and Fuyutski left the stage and sat down.  
  
"Ladies and Gentleman, I would like you all to welcome the newest addition to our defence force, Billy O'Neil"  
  
Gendou's voice was cold and deadly, it took a while for anyone to clap.  
  
The boy who walked on stage was a very strange boy indeed. He had a head of light brown hair, that fell across his face in a shaggy mop. His skin was deathly pale, and his eyes a bright and piercing blue. He was handsome, and had slight stubble much like Kaji's. He was very tall, much taller then Shinji or Asuka, and stood about 3 inches taller then Fuyutski, making him a giant.  
  
He was wearing a black suit, but his top button was undone and he had a golden cross that hung around his neck. He never stopped smirking.  
  
"Hello" he said to the crowed "I am very pleased to meet you all."  
  
Shinji noticed that his Japanese was very good, but his natural heavy Irish accent seemed to garble a few words.  
  
"I would like to thank you all for this wonderful dance you have assembled for us, and I hope we all become good friends."  
  
He stopped there and walked away. Once again the applause was not very enthusiastic. Gendou approached the Microphone.  
  
"And now I would like you to stand for Miss Ayanami."  
  
Shinji's mouth fell open as he saw Rei. She was stunning. Her dark blue dress matched her hair perfectly and it hugged her curves very generously. She had a diamond necklace around her neck and her ears where donned with diamond studs.  
  
She approached Billy and held out her hand. Billy took it and they both walked out onto the dance floor. The band began a slow, but very beautiful waltz, and Rei and the boy began to dance.  
  
Billy had a smile on his face, but Rei simply stared over his shoulder, not really interested.  
  
After a while other people started to dance and Shinji found himself dragged out as well.  
  
"Ok Baka lets go," said Asuka "and don't screw up!"  
  
Shinji nodded and they began to move in circles together.  
  
"Hold me tighter moron!" she hissed at him and Shinji obediently did so, but a slight blush was creeping up into his face as he felt Asuka press against him.  
  
Asuka though was watching Kaji and Misato as the not so slightly drunk major laughed at one of Kaji's jokes. They where dancing and looked very happy. Asuka scowled, and turned her attention back onto Shinji, who was sweating under the pressure that if he screwed up Asuka would kill him.  
  
But he didn't screw up, and after about half an hour Asuka got bored of dancing soon. She stalked away and latched her self to Kaji, who was helping a very drunk Misato walk to the bar. Shinji frowned as Asuka hugged him around the waist, and the tug in his gut was getting stronger.  
  
About an hour later of watching Asuka and Kaji dance, Kaji not so enthusiastically Shinji decided he needed to get some fresh air. He walked up the stairs and briskly out to the outside balcony. He was the only one out here. There where no tables as he had expected, and below him the city was silent. He had no idea what time it was, but decided it must be getting quite late.  
  
He leaned against the rail and sighed deeply. This wasn't going too well. Asuka was ignoring him, Misato was drunk and now he was totally alone.  
  
"Hey there" came a call.  
  
Shinji turned around to find Billy holding his hand up to him.  
  
Shinji shook it lightly; the other boys grip was like a vice on his hand.  
  
"Hi" said Shinji meekly.  
  
"Want some company?" asked Billy in his strange accent.  
  
"I don't mind."  
  
Billy leaned against the rail next to him and took out a box of cigarettes. Sparking one up he noticed that Shinji was looking at him very strangely.  
  
"What?" he asked "you want one."  
  
He offered the box up too Shinji but he refused.  
  
"suit yourself, what's the problem?"  
  
"Nothing..." said Shinji and he looked back over the city.  
  
"So you're the pilot of Unit 01" said Billy "the legendary Shinji Ikari in the flesh."  
  
Shinji blushed and shook his head "I'm not legendary..."  
  
"Are you kidding me, according to what they told me back at home you're the only person who is nearly as good as me."  
  
Now it was Shinji's turn to look puzzled. "As good as you?"  
  
"That's right" said Billy, taking a puff of his cigarette "I don't like to boast but I'd bet anything that in those giant tin cans we pilot I could wipe the floor with ya."  
  
Shinji didn't say anything, he heard this everyday from Asuka. He turned back and walked into the hall. All he could think about was how strange the boy was. He was proud, but not arrogant, not quite Asuka, but not quite himself. He shook his head and cleared all his thoughts.  
  
Billy walked side him, still grinning. He leaned over to Shinji.  
  
"That red head here with you?" he asked.  
  
"Not really..." trailed Shinji and he sat down at his table.  
  
Billy took the seat next to him.  
  
"Well if I was you..." he started but a waiter walked over and asked if he would like some wine. Billy took the bottle and got a glare from the waiter. He glared back and the waiter promptly left, obviously ruffled. Billy put his feet on the table and began talking again.  
  
"As I was saying, if I was you," he took a swig of the wine bottle "I'd go and kick the shit outta the guy dancing with her."  
  
Shinji looked at the boy with shock on his face.  
  
"What?" said Billy, honestly not knowing what he had said wrong.  
  
Shinji shook his head and looked over at Rei, who was simply sitting by herself. Billy followed his line of vision and he grinned. Shinji wasn't looking but if he had he would have noticed one of his teeth was missing.  
  
"You like that one hey?" he asked Shinji "go and talk to her then."  
  
Shinji startled a bit then looked at Billy with a heavy blush.  
  
"I......I.......Cant......" he stammered.  
  
Billy seemed to think for a second then inspiration seemed to dawn on him. Smiling like a moron he patted Shinji on the back.  
  
"Here," he said to Shinji handing him the wine bottle "take three quick slugs of this, then wait ten seconds, then take three more gulps. Keep doing that until she walks up too you."  
  
He walked over to Rei and began talking to her. Shinji looked down at the wine bottle, made a nervous glance around, and then started the pattern of drinking. After he repeated the system four times he heard a soft voice speaking to him.  
  
"Ikari" said Rei "Pilot O'Neil said you wish to dance with me."  
  
Shinji looked up, but the wine had given him an inner confidence he never thought possible.  
  
Taking Rei's hand they walked over to the dance floor, Shinji slightly overbalanced, and held each other.  
  
Shinji looked over his shoulder and saw Billy raise the botle in a silent toast. He walked into the crowd and Shinji shouted (just a tad too loud) "Where are you going?"  
  
Billy turned and looked to either side of him.  
  
"To pick a fight!" he shouted back  
  
He laughed loudly at his own joke then half walked half bounced into the crowd.  
  
Shinji looked back down at Rei, and he found she was looking directly at him. Blushing heavily he tried to look away but found his eyes drawn to hers.  
  
"Ikari" she whispered  
  
"y-y-yes Rei?" he stuttered back  
  
"When you are around me, I feel slightly happier then normal, is this natural?"  
  
Shinji nearly gaped, this was golden coming from Rei. Why was she saying this? In truth Rei wasn't sure what she was saying, but subtly wasn't ever Rei's strong point, she always told it as it was.  
  
"Sometimes when people are close they feel a certain feeling, its what good friends share."  
  
Rei looked at him with a slight look of confusion, which from Rei was as good as kissing him madly.  
  
"Then we are good friend's?" she asked.  
  
"Well I wouldn't say that" said Shinji, the wine taking its hold again, "good friends need to spend lots of time together."  
  
"We sped a lot of time at Nerv together, so we are good friends" said Rei matter of factly.  
  
"I mean outside of work" said Shinji.  
  
"So you and Pilot Soryhu are good friends?"  
  
Shinji nearly laughed.  
  
"Me and Asuka are not good friends, she hates me."  
  
"I see..." said Rei then she looked back into Shinji's eyes.  
  
"I would like to spend more time with you Ikari, will you come over to my place tomorrow?"  
  
Shinji nearly collapsed, he was sure that he was having a stroke. C'mon Shinji his brain said, come back to reality.  
  
"S-S-Sure" he managed to get out.  
  
"Good" said Rei "and now I think you should go and tend to Miss Katsuragi before she hurts her self."  
  
Shinji only noticed then that the whole time they had been dancing, his body firmly against Rei's. He started to blush again, but turned quickly to see what the fuss was about.  
  
Misato was slumped on the table, dribble pouring from her open mouth, mumbling something. An empty bottle of wine was in her hand.  
  
Shinji quickly let go of Rei and helped Misato up, Kaji came by and put her on his back.  
  
"You kids don't mind if you walk home tonight." he said still smiling "I need to get her home quickly."  
  
Shinji shook his head "that's ok Mister Kaji" he said.  
  
"Thanks Shinji," he said "and call me Kaji from now on."  
  
Kaji left with Misato draped over his back and Shinji sat down again. What a night! Then he remembered, he had a date with Rei! Well not really a date but still, he wondered what time he should show up. He looked around the floor to ask her but she was gone, he had no idea where too though. Sitting back in his chair he noticed that the wine was still in effect. He closed his eyes and sighed, maybe tonight wasn't so bad after all.  
  
Across the hall, where Shinji couldn't see her Asuka was fuming.  
  
'How dare he dance with that doll! He came here with me! He is in for it!'  
  
She continued fuming as she saw Shinji falling asleep, what a dick!  
  
She stormed over and grabbed him sharply by the ear.  
  
"Shinji you baka!" she nearly shouted "wake up we're leaving."  
  
Shinji was startled and he felt himself being pulled quite painfully down the hall. Getting his senses back he noticed that Asuka was dragging him, and she looked pissed! He was in for it.....  
  
Billy noticed the duo leaving. He grabbed another bottle of wine and left his at the bar. He opened it as he strode briskly out, following the two teenagers.  
  
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN THEY ALREADY LEFT!"  
  
Asuka was nearly exploding as Shinji explained that Kaji had taken Misato home in the limo. Billy was simply smirking at the whole predicament.  
  
"ARRRGG THAT STUPID DRUNK!" screamed Asuka "SHE ALWAYS RUINS EVERYTHING!"  
  
Shinji kept his head low, and then noticed Billy walk by.  
  
"Where are you going!" snapped Asuka to the boys retreating back.  
  
"well your place" he said calmly "you want to show me where it is so I don't walk around lost all night."  
  
He waited for Shinji and Asuka to catch up and the trio started to walk, Asuka mumbling very harshly under her breath.  
  
"What's wrong with you?" said Billy to the red head and she simply threw him a glare. Billy smiled ever broader.  
  
Shinji noticed the missing tooth and decided now was as good a time as any.  
  
"Where did you lose that tooth?"  
  
Billy smiled, Shinji noticed he did that a lot.  
  
"Street fight, took a bat to the face but the bastard got his own. I broke his nose and his arm in three places"  
  
Shinji went silent, he had seen street fights at school, they weren't pretty.  
  
Asuka mumbled something, and Shinji swore it was "fucking Irish" Billy paid no attention to it though and the trio walked home quietly. Shinji reflected on the night as Billy lit up another cigarette, it had been an eventful night........  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------  
  
A/N  
  
Aha my young readers, thought you got rid of me didn't you. As you can tell this story is dying quickly, but its ok, it will pick up soon. The new pilot has arrived and next is the synch tests, also, Rei and Shinji's date, well sorta. I know she was very out of character but in the story line this is where her and Shinji start to gravitate towards each other. But what of Asuka I hear you ask? Well you will just have to find out. And no this is not another THE ONE I LOVE IS...... copy, believe me. Not even im low enough to rip off and tarnish such a legendary story.  
  
Any who the next chapter should be up soon, sorry for the delays but you know.....uh.....look a unicorn!  
  
FIN 


	4. School day

Other Side Chapter 4: School day.  
  
A/N:  
  
I got some reviews, woohooo!!!!! You see how happy I am now? In reward for reviewing (all two of you) I will not say anything at all until the end of the fic.  
  
Enjoy!  
  
(a warning, this contains quite a few scenes ripped from the movie SNATCH) ------------------------------------------- ----------------  
  
Misato Katsuragi: Pilot report.  
  
As guardian of the second and third children it is my duty too keep a complete psychoanalysis on both of them. This week though I will submit, as ordered, a review on the new pilot. Billy O'Neil.  
  
Billy is the sixth child, which had come as a great surprise to me. I had no idea that a fourth and fifth child had been selected. However he is not at all what I had expected.  
  
He is as different to me, and too any one he has come into contact with, as possible. One way too describe him would be feral, savage even. While he seems to have no will to hurt any other humans, he seems unaccustomed to even the most basic things as table manners. The manner in which he speaks is quite forward and too the point, but most times quite crude. His solutions to problems are simple, and often involve the physical harm of others, although nothing suggests it would be fatal.  
  
While he may indeed produce an air of extreme confidence around himself, he is not as ego-tistic as the second child. He is different from most teenage boys because of the amount he drinks and smokes, and finds it amusing that Shinji or Asuka do not.  
  
Physically he is superior to most fully-grown Japanese men, as I have seen. He stands at 6 ft 6'', and is of average build. His muscles are very well toned, and he has four tattoos on his body. One is a holy cross across his left breast while another is some form of shield and crest on his right shoulder. Across his back is some thing written in English that has the word Irish in it. The other is on his left shoulder, and is in a language I do not know.  
  
He's understanding of Japanese is extensive but not perfected. Over complex words he struggles, and his accent garbles quite a few of even the simplest vowels. He can speak three languages to my knowledge, one Japanese, one English and one that I have no understanding of. He only uses this language when performing some form of morning ritual, which I have only seen once.  
  
On further investigation I found nothing out of the ordinary until I searched through his bag. In it was clothes covering a custom .50 desert eagle. The barrel was considerably longer then most, and the calibre had been taken up to make it a .70, a calibre that I have never seen before. From my training I have learned that from 10 feet a desert eagle could take off a fully-grown mans head. Why he would have upgraded this weapon and made its range longer puzzles me, but how he did it is even more of a question.  
  
He left yesterday, too the apartment one story below us, this concludes my report and I await further orders.  
  
Katsuragi, Misato.  
  
Gendou read the report carefully. This was what he had expected. He wasn't sure what was going on, and Gendou didn't like that. It didn't matter though; all his questions would be answered soon.  
  
------------------------------------------------- -------------  
  
Shinji, Toji and Kensuke walked down the street. Toji was laughing about something with Kensuke, and Shinji was even smiling a little. It was the start of another week, another long seven days of lectures and homework. Joy.  
  
"Hey Shinji!"  
  
Shinji turned as he heard that same strange voice he had grown accustomed too over the weekend. Billy was running up behind them, smiling again.  
  
Shinji liked Billy, his straightforward attitude was a little intimidating but likeable all the same. It took a while for Shinji to like anyone, but Billy seemed to generally like everybody. He shook his hand when he came into reach.  
  
"Jesus!" he said "how do you get up this early, what time is it now?"  
  
Kensuke checked his watch "about 8:00"  
  
Billy groaned. "Who's together by then, you can still taste the whiskey at that time."  
  
All of them made a strange face, Billy hadn't gotten it yet that not everyone drank as much as he did.  
  
Toji and Kensuke had met Billy the day before; they had come to check on Shinji to make sure that he had survived the night with the red-haired devil. If it wasn't for Billy he was sure he wouldn't be standing here right now. Billy was the only person apart from Misato who didn't treat Asuka with care. He treated her like any other person, blunt in his case. He had yet to take a beating but it was coming to him, and Shinji didn't want to be there when it happened.  
  
They four of them walked, laughing and talking about the things teenage boys talk about. Mostly tits.  
  
---------------------- -----------------------------------  
  
Asuka and Hikari walked together to school. They rarely did this but today was a special occasion. Asuka was going to bitch about someone she hadn't bitched about before, and her best friend would have to be the first to hear.  
  
"He's a prick!" she shouted as her and her friend walked, making Hikari jump.  
  
"Who is?" she managed to get out.  
  
"This new pilot they sent us, he's a complete buffoon!"  
  
Hikari tried to smile a little. "He can't be that bad." she said to Asuka, hoping she could calm her down.  
  
"Are you kidding me, he drinks more then Misato, smokes a Carton of cigarettes every day, snores like a pig and thinks he's better then everyone else."  
  
Hikari decided she should let that slide, as not to hurt her friend's feelings.  
  
"Not only that, he's as thick as a post! He can't read Japanese!"  
  
Hikari needed to pipe in "but neither can you Asuka"  
  
Asuka glared, "I know that, but he has NO idea, he doesn't know anything about it. And get this, he cant even read in English, he speaks English and he can't even read it!"  
  
Even Hikari had to admit that was a little strange.  
  
"So how did he go at his old school."  
  
"He probably never went to school......fucking Irish....."  
  
"No.....he has too have been to school at least once......"  
  
--------------------------------- --------------------------------  
  
"So this is a school" said Billy looking up at the building in front of him.  
  
Shinji nodded. "Yup" was all he said, Kensuke and Toji looking at it in depressed states of gloom.  
  
"Another" "Day" "Of hell"  
  
they said one after the other. Billy seemed to be looking at it with great interest. As they walked towards the main gates Billy leaned over to Shinji, still looking up at the building.  
  
"I agree with those two" he said to Shinji "damn thing looks depressing."  
  
-------------------------------------------------  
  
The rest of the school day proceeded as normal, but Billy and Toji fell sound asleep half way through the 2nd period. Shinji was simply worried about his date with Rei, he hadn't gone to her place when she told him too, and she had called him. Imagine him sitting there as Misato giggled uncontrollably as Rei organised to meet him today after synch tests. He was almost sweating thinking about what he should say to her. What could you talk to Rei about exactly? But that would not be the only worry on his mind this day.  
  
Across the room Asuka was throwing dark glances at him, what ever he did this time he was going to pay. Big time.  
  
------------------------------- ---------------------------------  
  
At lunch the four sat at their usual table, Billy now welcome in their circle. The four talked about the older girls at the school, undressing them with their eyes. Billy was about to go and talk to them when all of a sudden Kensuke's face went pale.  
  
"Shit!" he muttered "its Megami!"  
  
Megami was the local school bully. He and his brother, Tazzaki where the toughest kids in the school. Megami was lean, but strong and knew how to fight despite his average stature. His younger brother was huge, standing even taller then Billy. He was very bulky, and strong. The last person who stood up too him had three ribs broken. That and a few cronies who hung around, who also changed every second day, no one had the balls too screw with them.  
  
They where in their final year, but had been held down repeatedly. This made them a good few years older then the other students.  
  
And their favourite person to pick on was Kensuke.  
  
---------------------  
  
Asuka and Hikari watched Megami approach the table. And Kensuke go white as a ghost.  
  
"They can't keep doing this, one day someone's gonna stop those guys" Said Hikari.  
  
Asuka looked at her friend as she too a sip of her juice.  
  
"And I suppose you're just the person to do it?"  
  
Hikari glared at Asuka  
  
"And what does that mean!"  
  
"Nothing," said Asuka "just sit back and enjoy Kensuke squirming."  
  
------------------------------  
  
"Hey dweeb" came the raspy voice, full of ego and arrogance "chuck us some money for lunch would ya?"  
  
Toji stood up, "leave him alone you....." but what Megami was no one ever found out as Megami snapped his fingers. Tazzaki throttled Toji. He was lifted clear off the ground and choked in mid air by the giant. The cronies laughed.  
  
"So who else wants to be a hero?" asked Megami. Hearing no answer he turned back towards Kensuke.  
  
"Now hand it over and your friend doesn't get beaten to a pulp!" he barked "and you can load out as well Ikari, or I swear...."  
  
Whatever he was going to swear was cut short by a rock hitting him square in the jaw. Stumbling he looked around for the projectiles point of launch, and found Billy staring at him from about 10 feet away, tossing a rock absentmindedly in his left hand.  
  
"What the fuck do you think..." a rock struck him in the forehead, this time hard.  
  
Megami picked himself up from the ground and wiped a small trickle of blood away from his forehead.  
  
"You piece of shit" he screamed "Tazzaki drop that dumb jock and rip this guys head open!"  
  
Tazzaki dropped Toji almost lazily to the ground, who started to claw on the ground and gasp for breath. The giant smiled as he charged at Billy and brought his fist back for the knock out.  
  
CRACK.  
  
Billy sailed back into the dirt and Tazzaki smiled. Megami smiled too, no one ever stood up after Tazzaki hit them. But something that had never happened before......well, happened.  
  
Billy stood up.  
  
He stretched his neck then started stretching his arms. Tazzaki stared stupefied at the sight in front of him, then looked to his brother for instructions.  
  
"what are you waiting for!" yelled Megami "go and kick the shit outta him."  
  
By now a large crowd had gathered around, and Shinji was at the forefront. Kensuke was next to him in shock.  
  
"did you see that, he's not even dizzy or anything!"  
  
Tazzaki charged again but this time lifted Billy bodily off the ground. He dropped the boy on his knee, then when he hit the ground kicked him in the ribs, sending him skidding across the ground a meter or two.  
  
Billy got up again, and the crowd murmured, no one had stood up after one of Tazzaki's beatings, let alone two!!!!  
  
Billy stretched his legs.  
  
"You know you kick pretty hard for a fat fuck!" he said as he rotated his arm.  
  
Tazzaki was stupid, and fell for the taunt easily. He charged.  
  
It all happened very fast. Billy kissed the cross he wore around his neck and moved to the side, letting off a vicious left hook as he did.  
  
There was a crack and Tazzaki fell to the floor. Everyone expected him to get back up, but he didn't move. For about 20 seconds there was absolute silence, then blood began to trickle slowly from Tazzaki's temple. He was knocked out cold.  
  
Megami was in shock. One punch, one fucking punch! Tazzaki had never lost before, he was always there to take care of any trouble. Then a great rage took hold of Megami and he stepped forward.  
  
"Right boys!" he hissed "lets take the fucker!"  
  
But his cronies where reluctant to move, no way were they going near that guy!  
  
Megami turned, his face red. "What are you all, pussies!?"  
  
His cronies stepped back, both from him and the boy behind their leader.  
  
"Fine, I'll do him myself!"  
  
He turned and ran at the boy. He swung a right hook but Billy caught his forearm. Billy delivered two body rips too his ribs and then a powerful uppercut to his face. Megami hit the ground, then let out an almost animal growl. Spitting out some blood he got to his feet again. A head butt floored him swiftly, and there was a massive crack as his nose broke.  
  
Billy laughed as the Japanese boy writhed on the ground in agony. He had expected him to be more of a challenge then this. For such a tough acting guy he was just a pussy.  
  
Megami finally brought himself to his feet, and pulled out his flick knife. Holding the wreckage of his nose with one hand, his other twisted sharply and cold steel glinted in the sun.  
  
He charged.  
  
Exactly what happened was too quick for anyone too see properly, but Megami was without knife in a blur. Billy looked at the knife that was on the ground and brought his heel on it sharply, breaking it in two.  
  
Megami panicked and tried to run, 'that's it' he thought, 'I'm out.' But he was caught by Billy strong grip, and spun around.  
  
Billy thumped Megami in the chest and the older boy fell to his knees. Billy drew back his fist.  
  
"Lets see how do you like getting beaten you little shit!" hissed Billy.  
  
He punched Megami in the face, then again, then again and again. Each time a squirt of blood flew out of Megami's face. Megami was almost crying, he tried struggling but the boys grip was like a vice on his shirt. He flailed his arms, his fist pummelling Billy's shoulders and face. Billy seemed to shrug them off. Megami soon became too tired and he was still being punched in the face. Finally, after minets, which seemed like hours, Billy stopped his onslaught. Dropping the boy form his sitting position to the ground, he leaned down right up to Megami's blood soaked face.  
  
"Now you listen, and you listen good. I ever see you face anywhere on the street, at school even in a fucking picture, I will kill you! You got that!"  
  
Megami nodded between sobs, his jaw cracked and his nose now too bloody and purple to be called a nose anymore.  
  
Billy hefted him back up too a sitting position.  
  
"Now say goodnight."  
  
Billy punched the boy once in the face and he went out, lights and all.  
  
-------------------- -------------------------- ---------------  
  
"STOP THAT RIGHT NOW!"  
  
Hikari's voice bellowed over the top of all the commotion. Asuka was at her side, partly in shock, partly in disgust.  
  
"MR. O'NEIL! GET TO THE PRINCAPAL'S OFFICE RIGHT NOW!" she screamed at the tall boy, who grinned even louder.  
  
Billy shook his head and pulled out a small piece of paper.  
  
"You see this," he said shoving in front of Hikari's face "its diplomatic immunity, I'm only here for the hell of it anyway."  
  
Hikari opened her mouth, nearly speechless. In Hikari's world she had total control, she was the class rep and had to uphold the 'law'. And now she couldn't do that, she felt cheated, outraged!.  
  
"But you cant just go around beating up!" she protested.  
  
Billy laughed out loud.  
  
"Are you kidding me? They deserved it!"  
  
Billy smiled even wider. "And no offence," he started "I don't take orders from anyone." And with that he walked away towards the table, promptly sat down and pulled out a flask. Taking a deep swig he stopped mid way as Hikari eyed him fearfully.  
  
"What?" he asked innocently.  
  
Shinji hung his head and shook it.  
  
Asuka just fumed and turned.  
  
"Moron......"  
  
----------------- -------------------------- --------  
  
4 HOURS LATER.  
  
"Miss Akagi I think you should really take a look at this!"  
  
Ritsuko slid her chair over to Maya's desk and peered over the assistants shoulder.  
  
"What the-"she murmured and leaned closer to the screen.  
  
"But that's impossible."  
  
Maya nodded. "So we thought," she said "but I've run these results about sixteen times and they all come back the same."  
  
"Amazing......." Was all the doctor could say and she leaned back in her chair, sipping her coffee slowly. "And these have been steady?"  
  
"Yes mam" said Maya "for the past hour."  
  
Ritsuko went silent, apparently in deep thought.  
  
Misato chose this time to walk briskly in.  
  
"Hi gang, what's the word?"  
  
Ritsuko beckoned her friend over to the terminal and pointed at the screen.  
  
"Look how the new kids coming along."  
  
Misato looked over the screen and made a low whistle of amazement.  
  
"Wow," she said "a 98% synch ratio."  
  
Ritsuko nodded, "all I want to know is how he keeps it that high and steady."  
  
Misato looked at her friend "well don't ask me," she said "you're the doctor."  
  
"Indeed" said Ritsuko taking another sip of coffee.  
  
"So how are the others doing?"  
  
"Well," began the doctor "Rei and Asuka are exactly the same, although Rei has increased ever so slightly."  
  
"And Shinji?" asked Misato.  
  
"Take a look for yourself."  
  
Misato peered over.  
  
"Wow, 81%! He's beat Asuka!"  
  
Ritsuko nodded, "And he might catch up with that other kid soon."  
  
Misato looked over at her friend "he has a name you know."  
  
Ritsuko smiled "I read your report major, any one who carries a gun at that age isn't in my good books."  
  
Misato looked back at the face of Billy, his eyes closed but a small smile still prominent across his face.  
  
"He got in a fight at school today, both the kids he took on are in the hospital, one they don't think will make it."  
  
Ritsuko made a slight dissatisfied hum.  
  
"I wonder what turned him into that" questioned Misato "to just destroy another human life so carelessly."  
  
"I have no idea." said Ritsuko "but losing your parents could help it."  
  
"Then why isn't Shinji like that?"  
  
"Ok one point to you." Smiled Ritsuko "I dunno maybe he has a few anger management problems. Also, does he drink or smoke?"  
  
"More then me" replied Misato.  
  
"Interesting" said Ritsuko "according to his medical his lungs and liver are in top notch condition."  
  
Misato looked at the boy again "I just hope Shinji doesn't follow in his wake."  
  
"It could be good for the boy."  
  
"I'll decide that."  
  
"Sorry mum......."  
  
"WHAT WAS THAT!"  
  
----------------------------- -----------------------  
  
Billy and Shinji where in the change room, getting back into their usual attire.  
  
"So what you doing now?" asked Billy.  
  
"I have to go out tonight" replied Shinji.  
  
"Ok, just wanted to know if you wanted to come round to mine for a drink."  
  
Shinji shook his head, when would he learn?  
  
"So what you up too?" said Billy "Ayanami I'm guessing?"  
  
Shinji went red but smiled all the same.  
  
"Good for you buddy" said Billy "a good root will do you the world."  
  
Shinji nearly passed out. "I-I-It's not like that!" he stuttered as he blushed even more.  
  
"Whatever man." Said Billy chuckling.  
  
"Your weird you know that right."  
  
"Hey back home there are worse then me, anyway I gotta run, maybe one of those year 11 girls will be up for some fun."  
  
Billy left and waved over his shoulder.  
  
Shinji finished getting dressed and picked up his bags. He realised what Billy had just said and checked over his shoulder, a look of amazement on his face. He waved the thought out of his head though and exhaled deeply. He went out of the changroom to face his fears.  
  
Rei was standing outside the door.  
  
"Hi....." said Shinji meekly.  
  
"Hi" said Rei in her cold voice, but Shinji noticed there was some small emotion this time. "Pilot O'Neil said you where inside here."  
  
Shinji looked at Rei for a long time, before snapping out of his stupor.  
  
'focus Ikari focus!'  
  
"So, you want to leave?"  
  
"Yes, I do."  
  
---------------------------- -------------------------------  
  
Shinji and Rei walked to Rei's place. The sun was just beginning to set, soaking Tokyo-3 in crimson hood. 'Well this isn't so bad," thought Shinji to himself, surveying the landscape around him 'wish she wasn't so quite though.'  
  
Rei was thinking the same thing, wanting Ikari to say something. Usually silence never bothered Rei, in fact, to her talking seemed pointless. But for some reason this silence was not welcome. It felt.....  
  
Awkward.  
  
"So," said Shinji finally "what do you think of Billy?"  
  
"He is different, and interesting" said Rei in her monotone voice "but I find him crude."  
  
Shinji frowned, over the past few days he had taken quite a liking to Billy.  
  
"He isn't that bad, once you get to know him a little. He means well, I think."  
  
Rei nodded "You are right. Pilot O'Neil has not shown any true signs of aggression to those he didn't think deserved it."  
  
Shinji nodded, Megami and Tazzaki deserved what they got.  
  
"But," continued Rei "I think he went too far at school today."  
  
Shinji was inclined to agree, especially with Tazzaki nearly dead at the hospital.  
  
Kensuke and Toji had adored Billy after that one punch. They where bowing to him in front of everyone in the middle of class and chanting that he was their god. It took quite a bit of discipline from Hikari to get them to stop. All Shinji could think of was a mother crying over her dead son.  
  
Shinji brought himself back to the present, pushing those thoughts out of his head and walked with Rei, again in total silence.  
  
------------------------- ----------------------  
  
Shinji had made it his duty to cook Rei dinner and was actually enjoying it. Remembering what Billy had told him, to try and impress at all opportunities, but not too far, he cooked up the best he could. Making some vegetarian noodles wasn't the easiest thing to do, but he managed to pull it off. Taking off his apron, he tasted the noodles one more time. Not too bad.  
  
Rei sat at her table quietly, no one had ever cooked her dinner before. But then again hadn't Ikari always tried to help her. He had always been nice to her, and had never hurt her feelings with intent. Unlike the commander he didn't give her exact orders, and seemed to genuinely care about her more then he ever has. She knew why the commander cared, and that had never seemed right to her, but it was something.  
  
But the younger Ikari, she had no idea why he cared. And that made her feel very......warm.  
  
As they sat and ate they talked about small things, but to Rei it seemed all strange and alien. Shinji talked of his two friends Toji and Kensuke, and about their many capers. Then about his life at home with Asuka and Misato. He talked about everything, yet nothing. Just meaningless chitchat, but the kind that seems deeper then it is. It was a sweet moment.  
  
Shinji checked his watch. It was already 10:30.  
  
"I better go Rei," he said, wiping him mouth "but I had a great time with you."  
  
"I did too Ikari" said Rei, and she made the smallest smile. His heart skipped a beat.  
  
"W-W-Well I'll be off then." He managed to get out, but as he turned a hand gently touched his shoulder.  
  
He turned and Rei had a strange look in her eyes.  
  
"Ikari" she said "No one has ever cooked me food before."  
  
Shinji gulped, why was she looking at him like that.  
  
Rei continued.  
  
"I would like to ask you for one more favour tonight" she said, and Shinji noticed that she looked slightly nervous. But then again he could be wrong, he wasn't so good at reading people emotions.  
  
"I would like you to spend tonight with me, it would make me happy."  
  
Warning bells went off in Shinji's head. At once a council of his conscious was called.  
  
"It's a school night Shinji!" said Misato in his head "you shouldn't stay!"  
  
"You pervert!" screamed Asuka "what about my breakfast and food, there is no way that you're leaving me with Misato's cooking!"  
  
Toji and Kensuke laughed.  
  
"You sly dog!" said Toji "go for it!"  
  
Kensuke chortled "and when she falls asleep" he said "you know what to do!"  
  
Shinji mentally frowned. Two for two he needed that tiebreaker.  
  
It came from Billy.  
  
"She gave you a request, now be a gentleman and do as she says, it's the only way you'll survive."  
  
Tie broken!  
  
Shinji nodded at Rei "Ok Rei."  
  
Rei took his hand and they lay on the bed. As Shinji fell to his side he felt something warm snuggle into his chest. He looked down to find Rei looking up at him.  
  
"You are very warm Ikari." She said.  
  
"Call me Shinji" he said, and she laid her head on his chest. 'where did that come from?' his brain asked. His heart quickly kicked his brain in the shin and told it to shut up.  
  
Rei was smiling. 'Shinji' she repeated in her head, she liked the way it sounded, and the way she was lying next to him, it felt right. Like this was how it should be.  
  
"Goodnight Shinji" she murmured, and they both fell into a deep sleep.  
  
------------------------------- --------------------- ---------------  
  
A/N  
  
Well Well Well so you think this is S/R fic, well your wrong! Or are you? You haven't heard Asuka's side of the story yet so don't jump to conclusions. I know Rei is REALLY out of character, but I'm trying to keep it as believable as I can.  
  
This chapter was really about everyone's first impression's of Billy, as you can see Misato pity's him, Ritsuko looks down on him, Asuka hates him (who didn't see that coming) and Shinji seems too like him. TO find out more about Billy read the next chapter, which will involve training, and possibly the attack of the 12th angel.  
  
Also the appearance of the new Eva, which like Billy, is full of surprises, and what will Gendou have to say about Rei and Shinji's little get together night. And also the biggest mystery of them all, how many more mysterious will I have to come up with too keep you reading this fic. Only time will tell.  
  
Dark Romeo AKA Liam Jackson  
  
FIN 


	5. Your not mine

Other side Chapter 5: Your not mine  
  
A/N:  
  
Reviews!!!! My glorious reviews!!!! Thank you all so much......I promised my self I wouldn't cry.  
  
It seems people actually enjoy this story. But of course there are a few things that they have pointed out which I will be more then happy to use. Such as my grammar and keeping everyone in character. I honestly think I should not have done that scene with Rei and Shinji cause it moved too fast, but oh well.  
  
Now to explain some questions that where asked. This fic is based in between the 11th and 12th angel, we are approaching the time of appearance of the 12th.  
  
Also, some one said that Billy was over the top, there is a reason for this. Also that would be the point. Compared to many the characters in this fic he appears larger then life. Remember that he comes from a nomadic race, he probably has to act a lot older and a lot more aggressively to survive, and a place like this would seem very boring and ordered. If this were a fic based on a more action hero type series he would fit right in, but because it is a very deep and depressing story line he does not seem to fit in.  
  
(Notices the blank stares)  
  
It's good ok!!!!  
  
Also he over the top for many other reasons but that would ruin the surprise wouldn't it.  
  
Any way enjoy the new chapter, it's going to be a long one.  
  
(OOC warning! This time it's Shinji.) ---------------------------------- ------------------------------- --------- ---------  
  
Shinji crept through the hallway quietly. He numbered off the doors, looking for the apartment. In the dark this place was very different, scary even, and Shinji kept his head down low. Who knows what could be lurking this time of night, just waiting for someone to come along.  
  
He was in deep shit. He knew, from balls to bone, that he was dead. He hadn't gone to school today, scared of facing Asuka's wrath. He had wondered around the city with his hands in his pockets, thinking of nothing but Rei. Why was she acting like she was? This wasn't like her. Sure sometimes she had shown signs of friendship, by why this strong so suddenly.  
  
Question's buzzed around the young boys head. There were too many to answer, for one person at least.  
  
He reached the apartment door and reached into his pocket. Pulling out his card he hesitated over the scanner. He knew what was going to be at the other side of this door, and it wasn't going to be pretty.  
  
Sighing he waved the card over the scanner and the door whooshed open. He walked in very slowly, taking off his shoes. He checked his watch, 8:30. Asuka would still be up.  
  
"I'm home" he announced meekly. He tip toed up the front hall and into the kitchen. What he was met was not nice.  
  
Asuka was sitting at the table, her eyes burning into him. In front of her was a book of homework, half finished. But he wasn't looking at that.  
  
Asuka looked ready to kill, her blue eyes seemed to be on fire with rage. Her mouth was curling a little, meaning one thing.  
  
"Where the fuck have you been!" she screeched at him!  
  
Pen-Pen jumped out of the couch, looking at the scene before him. Shinji was squirming as Asuka shouted abuse at him. He scurried into his fridge. Asuka always yelled, but this time it was different, there was something in her eyes..........  
  
"I had to live with Misato's cooking you jerk!" she screamed at Shinji "I nearly threw up because of that sludge. Then you didn't show up at school! You little dweeb! I've been starving all day!"  
  
She slapped Shinji sharply across the face. He stumbled back a little  
  
Shinji thought it was over, he could scurry into his room to escape. But there was more on Asuka's mind then food, much more.  
  
"I bet you where at that doll's place! Weren't you!" she continued "I was starving and you're at Rei's probably screwing her brains out!"  
  
"It's not like that........" Shinji started but he was silenced by another slap to the face.  
  
"Don't lie to me you bastard!" she screamed at him, advancing all the time, "I saw you two dancing at the Ball, you came with me and dumped me for HER!"  
  
She said her with a lot more volume, and hit in the face again. His cheek was burning heavily and a small trickle of blood came out of his mouth.  
  
"HOW COULD YOU CHOOSE HER OVER ME!" Asuka screamed, Shinji now backed against the wall in terror.  
  
"WHAT DOES SHE HAVE THAT I DON"T! MY BREASTS ARE BIGGER, MY HIPS ARE SMOOTHER. HOW COULD YOU, YOU BASTARD!"  
  
The next slap took Shinji to the ground, and he nearly cried out in pain. He cradled his cheek, but found it too sore to touch.  
  
Asuka stood over him, panting, her face as red as her hair. She looked at him with loathing in her eyes.  
  
"How could you?" she said quietly, but her words were filled with hate.  
  
Shinji stood up, not looking at Asuka. She was right, he was a prick, nothing but a prick.  
  
"Answer me!" said Asuka, her voice still stabbing into him. But he couldn't, he couldn't face her.  
  
"Answer me!" she screamed as he walked out of the room, holding his cheek in pain. He spat out some blood, she had cut him up inside pretty bad.  
  
"ANSWER ME!"  
  
Shinji heard this and tears ran down his face. That one sounded more desperate then angry, and yet he could still not face her.  
  
He stumbled to the front door and opened it. But something grabbed his arm and spun him around. Asuka was glaring at him, her teeth almost bared.  
  
"Answer me!" she said, and it sounded angry again, but still with that tone of desperation. If Shinji could have met her eyes, he would have seen that as angry as they where, they where also pleading, pleading to tell her why.  
  
But Shinji could not, he looked at the ground.  
  
"I-I-I cant." He stammered.  
  
Asuka pushed him back into the outside hall and the door whooshed shut. He heard her punching the wall, and destroying random things.  
  
All he did was hang his head and cry.  
  
"I'm sorry" he said between sobs. But no one would have heard it, and if they did, the person it was meant for would have smashed her fist into his face.  
  
-------------------------- ------------------------  
  
Asuka screamed her outrage at the world, focusing it into one single word.  
  
"WHY!"  
  
She screamed it at the top of lungs. Repeatedly she screamed it until her lungs where sore.  
  
As she did she destroyed the apartment. She smashed the plates, broke the vases, anything she could pick up was thrown on the floor.  
  
Too tired to continue she slumped into a chair, and a new fit of rage took her again, but this time it was filled with sorrow.  
  
"WHY! WHY! WHY YOU BASTARD!" she screamed and banged her fist on the table, until she was sure it would break.  
  
But the table didn't break, she did.  
  
Her head slumped onto the table and she sobbed. Angry with herself for crying she banged her fist again but she couldn't stop. Tears streamed down her face as she screamed her new mantra. That bastard, that little bastard. He was hers, her moron, her cook, her little Shinji........  
  
Her whole body gave up and she slumped further into the table, and cried openly.  
  
----------------------- ------------------------------  
  
Billy opened the door to find a mess at his doorstep. Shinji was slouching over, his mouth trickling blood at slow but steady pace, and his eyes where red.  
  
"I heard you two through the roof," said Billy looking at his friend.  
  
"Come in and we'll get you fixed."  
  
"Thank you," said Shinji, and then winced as his cheek flared up from the movement. He walked into the apartment, and Billy closed the door behind him.  
  
Billy led him into the kitchen and sat him down. Opening the fridge he took out a bottle of whiskey and handed it too Shinji.  
  
"Drink it" he said with a grin, taking out his hipflask and taking a swig "it'll stop infection and maybe get you so pissed you won't feel it till the morning."  
  
Shinji looked at Billy then looked at the bottle. Shrugging, he took a swig and felt a sharp pain stab his cheek.  
  
Billy laughed as Shinji winced "yeah it'll do that."  
  
Shinji coughed and looked at Billy, the whiskey being so strong didn't help.  
  
"You drink this stuff?" he asked between coughs, this was REALLY strong whiskey!  
  
"Yeah I make it," said Billy taking a large slug if his flask "my grandad taught me how."  
  
Shinji layback took another sip, this time smaller, and his cheek burned again. He gritted his teeth and took it, but he noticed how numb his hands where going. He didn't have a very high alcohol tolerance and the homemade whiskey was getting to him quickly.  
  
"So," said Shinji to Billy who was lighting a cigarette "what's it like back in Ireland."  
  
Billy nearly laughed and looked at Shinji with his usual smile.  
  
"I don't come from Ireland" he said "I'm from one of the clans, I was born somewhere in the UE, not sure where though. My mum died giving birth to me and my dad and my grandad raised me."  
  
Shinji nodded, so he was just like him.  
  
"I've only been to Ireland once, and it's not pretty. No one knew what to do back then. Things blowing up, people living in constant fear of an English invasion, and with them being just across the border it was no wonder."  
  
Shinji nodded a little.  
  
"Where's your dad now?"  
  
Billy paused for a bit, his cigarette ashing it self on the carpet.  
  
"My dad was killed in the war." He said taking a long puff.  
  
"Oh," said Shinji lowering his head "I'm sorry."  
  
"Why?" said Billy "He died the way he wanted too, and you can't ask for more then that. My dad always told me there where two ways you could die. You could either die in your own piss crying for mercy, or charging at them with all the blood lust you can muster."  
  
He took a long drag of the cigarette here and shook his head. "But it was pointless really, we lost the war. We all sorta knew we would but we couldn't just give up. The English always said that they controlled us, but when we demand a new country they deny us. They told the world of course that they offered but the truth is they never cared. So we invaded, all the survivors fighting for a cause. But we couldn't win, and those bastards," Billy closed his eyes, his voice coming through gritted teeth.  
  
"Those bastards used anything they could too win. Rape, murder and terror, you name it they did it. They held their child prisoners in front of them to stop us from shooting. And laughing as they raped one of the village women in front of the prisoners of war, us powerless to stop them."  
  
SNAP  
  
The arm of the chair he was sitting in broke under his clenched fist. Shinji jumped and Billy barely noticed it. Looking down at the arm of the chair he threw the shattered pieces away into the wall.  
  
He closed his eyes and calmed himself. Taking deep drags of his smoke. Opening them again he looked at Shinji, who was still taking slow sips of his whiskey.  
  
In the slight pause Shinji looked around the apartment from eh kitchen. It was built much like their own, a kitchen that connected to the hall and a living room, which connected with a bedroom. The hall spanned out a little more for two more bedrooms and a bathroom. There was an outside balcony at the end of the hall. It was built exactly like Misato's apartment, but everything was in a different place, which was eerie.  
  
"How's the cheek?" Billy asked, his voice returning to its normal unpredictable tone.  
  
"Better, this stuff really helps" said Shinji as he realised how drunk he was getting. His face was numb so he couldn't feel the pain anymore, as where his arms and legs. But in his chest he felt a strange warmth, as though his heart was glowing with heat.  
  
Billy laughed and put out he cigarette sparking another one  
  
"Not much tolerance to alcohol I'm guessin?"  
  
Shinji jumped and realised how long he had been silent for, and he blushed a little.  
  
"Sorry."  
  
Billy laughed even louder "What for? C'mon lets get trashed tonight, schools a waste of fucking time anyway."  
  
Normally Shinji would have refused, but the whiskey had made his head think quite peculiar things.  
  
"Alright!" he said and Billy grinned. "That's the spirit!" he said and handed him another bottle of homemade whiskey.  
  
Shinji sculled the rest of the bottle in his had and put it on the table, then took the one Billy was offering.  
  
Billy and Shinji sat up for a very long time, and drunk a lot of alcohol.  
  
------------------------------------- ---------------------------  
  
Shinji had been staying at Billy's for four days now and he was actually enjoying it. He hadn't been at school for a while, and for the first time in his life didn't care. Most of his nights now consisted of him staying up with Billy, although after his first night he had not really been drinking. He had tried smoking a little, as Billy had offered. As he had explained it 'life's too short to worry about lung cancer, hell we're all going to die of something, and who wants to live past fifty five to have someone have too wipe your own ass for'  
  
He hadn't really liked it, but Billy had given him a few decks if he ever wanted too start up. He only smoked when he drank, and seeing as he never drunk that much he didn't smoke that much. After his third day of coughing it started to wear down and now he noticed it calmed him considerably, just like Billy said it would.  
  
And he actually liked hanging out with Billy. Sure he was a little unpredictable, and maybe he had trouble walking in a perfectly straight line, but apart from that he was a good guy. He also seemed to like Shinji, which he appreciated greatly.  
  
Tonight Billy was planning something he had been looking forward too for a while.  
  
"A party?" said Shinji as he opened a bottle of beer, and took an even and slow sip. He had not developed a tolerance yet, and he knew if he drank it slowly he would be ok.  
  
"That's right buddy!" said Billy obviously excited "I've called some of the girls from school, you know the older ones, and they made some calls, and they made some calls etc etc. So yeah I'm guessin it should be a big event."  
  
"How big?" asked Shinji sceptically.  
  
"Oh you know, about a hundred, maybe one fifty?"  
  
Shinji gagged on his drink.  
  
"Hey lighten up Shinji!" said Billy, sparking a smoke "It's all cool, we got me on security and I locked up the fridge. It's a BYO occasion."  
  
Shinji still wasn't convinced "what about the landlord, he won't like this."  
  
Billy smiled "don't worry I can handle him, now drink up and quit frowning. Hell I might even get you laid tonight!"  
  
Shinji shook his head but took a deep swig of his beer anyway, it was going to be one those nights.  
  
----------------------------- ------------------------------- --------  
  
At about 5:30 a group of girls showed up at the door and Billy let them in. They walked into the apartment and Shinji greeted them. They all said hi, and started their non-stop chatter.  
  
The lounge room had three couches, each one against a wall. In the centre was a large table, which had a C.D. player on it. Billy walked in, his jacket slightly damp on the sleeves.  
  
"Ok ladies there's some ice in then bathtub, go put your drinks in there and then sit back and enjoy the night!" said Billy as he sparked up a cigarette. Shinji decided that he needed one as well and took out his deck. They weren't very strong, only eight milligrams, but Shinji couldn't handle anything bigger. As the smoke filled his lungs he resisted the urge to cough, and his head spun slightly. But he felt his nerves calming and he relaxed in the sofa.  
  
One of the girls hadn't carried out the beer her friend's had brought and was still sitting on the couch. She looked at Shinji.  
  
"You're that pilot aren't you?" she asked "You both are right?"  
  
Shinji nodded but Billy grabbed him around the shoulder.  
  
"That's right," he said, shaking Shinji roughly "me and my buddy are here to protect this fine city, which I must say is filled with very beautiful ladies."  
  
The girl blushed a little and Shinji's mouth gaped, how the hell did that work!  
  
"And you know my friend Shinji here, well he's a little lonely you know, he's seen a lot more combat then me."  
  
The girl scooted over the room and sat next to Shinji. "I feel sorry for you two," she said looking at Shinji "I just want you to know that we really do appreciate what you do for us Shinji."  
  
Shinji blushed a little as the girls hand felt his own.  
  
"The cats in the bag......." whispered Billy to his friend and let go of him.  
  
Shinji started at the smiling girl, but then realised what was going on. He shook his head as truth dawned on him and grabbed Billy.  
  
"We need to talk" he said.  
  
Billy looked at the girl, who was obviously quite hurt by such a sudden rejection, and smiled at her.  
  
"We'll be right back."  
  
Shinji dragged Billy into the kitchen.  
  
"What are you doing!" said Billy "she was going for you man! You had a definite lay"  
  
Shinji shook his head.  
  
"All she wanted was an Eva pilot, she doesn't care about me at all. She only wants to have sex for her own personal gain not because she cares."  
  
Billy scratched his head.  
  
"I don't follow?"  
  
Shinji fumed.  
  
Billy laughed "I'm just kidding buddy don't sweat it. I know how you feel. I won't do that again ok?"  
  
Shinji smiled at his friend "thankyou." He then took another puff of his cigarette, feeling the foul smoke fill his chest.  
  
The doorbell rang and Billy went to answer it, Shinji leaned against the wall and smoked away.  
  
----------------- ------------------------------- --------------------  
  
It was 11:30 and the party was in full swing. People where drunk, music was blaring and people where getting in the hallways. Like I said it was pumpin.  
  
Shinji was sitting on the couch. Earlier in the night Toji and Kensuke had arrived and asked him a lot of questions. He answered them, and then explained what happened with him and Asuka.  
  
"That bitch!" Toji had snarled "I'll rip her open when I see her!"  
  
Shinji shook his head "don't, just let her be."  
  
Toji would have protested, but Kensuke tapped his shoulder.  
  
"Hey Toji, remember how you said next time you saw her?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Well she's right over there!"  
  
The trio looked over at the kitchen and there was Asuka with Hikari, a beer in her hand and a smile on her face. She was talking to some guy, who was checking her body out with great interest.  
  
Asuka was smiling, but Shinji knew it was because she was drunk. She had to be, she wouldn't let anyone look at her like that sober.  
  
He was angry. How dare she show up here, of all places. It was like a statement that she could invade every part of his life.  
  
He stood up and walked down the hall. He took a glance at Asuka who met his gaze, and frowned instantly. Shinji turned and walked down the hallway, opening the door. He heard over the music and chatter Toji and Kenuske protest, but he just wanted to get away.  
  
He lit a cigarette, feeling the burn in his throat. He didn't care though, he didn't care about much right now.  
  
"Bitch..."  
  
-------------------------------- -----------------------------  
  
When Shinji returned it was very late, maybe about 3:00 in the morning, maybe later.  
  
He opened the door, with the key that Billy had given him to open the door for guests. Billy had gotten sick of walking so asked Shinji to do it for him, then disappeared in his room with a pretty girl from year ten. Thanks Billy.  
  
He entered and saw how bad the damage was. There were beer bottle everywhere, all over the floor and a lot of ash. The whole place reeked of cigarettes and a little bit of vomit. He walked into the lounge room to find two people he didn't know sleeping on the couches. He walked over to the empty sofa and sat down, he needed to rest after all that walking. He had wandered all around Tokyo-3, thoughts going at a million miles an hour. All of them led to one word. Bitch. It was cold tonight though and he was glad to be inside, the strange effect of the place after a party felt like a mystical heater.  
  
He sparked a smoke and lay his head back, closing his eyes for a bit, enjoying the peace and quite. He wasn't really a party person and was surprised at the way he was now. Drinking and smoking, it wasn't like him at all.  
  
He had gotten over his anger with Asuka for now, although if he saw her he was sure it would come back. How could she do that too him, just barge into a party when she had full knowledge he was going to be there. It made him so mad!  
  
Taking another drag he closed his eyes and tried to calm himself. He heard the toilet flush and a door open. Presuming it was Billy he called out.  
  
"Hey! Get me a beer from the fridge for me will you!" Shinji was in a drinking mood, one of his few. Why though, he had never drunk before this, even when Misato had offered he would always refuse. Was it that he was trying to look cool in front of Billy? Was he that sad? He shook his head to clear his thoughts; it had been a long night. He realised that ever since he had started to drink, as small as it was, he was happier.  
  
He opened his eyes and heard footsteps. Then someone he didn't want to see walk in.  
  
Asuka.  
  
She strode in a plonked her self right next to Shinji.  
  
They sat there for a while in silence, Asuka looking at nothing particular with her face resting on her hand, and Shinji looking at the roof silently. It was a while before anyone spoke.  
  
"Since when did you start smoking?" asked Asuka, in a strangely monotone voice. It sounded like Rei's, and that scared Shinji.  
  
He took another long puff and glanced over at her, she wasn't looking at him. Shinji was glad; if she had he could have punched her in the face.  
  
Not hearing a response Asuka frowned, what was wrong with Shinji? He was different now, as though she wasn't talking too the meek little boy she had known, but someone else in a Shinji outfit.  
  
And it scared her a little.  
  
"Shinji" she said "I'm bored."  
  
Shinji glanced at her again, this time she was looking at him. Her big blue eyes gazing into his own. Usually he would have felt a skip in his chest, and butterflies, but this time.......  
  
All he felt was rage.  
  
Asuka looked into the boys eyes, searching, searching for that old Shinji. The Shinji that used to cringe at her every move, the Shinji that got up early every morning to cook her breakfast. Her Shinji.  
  
But he wasn't there, only some other boy, looking back at her with hate. And god did that turn her on. For some reason, she didn't know why, but to have this Shinji who hated her seemed to make her wild with passion. That and she was drunk, very drunk.  
  
There was silence for a while and Shinji returned to his cigarette. The truth was he didn't have the heart to tell Asuka to go away, and he was slightly scared of what might happen if he did anyway. But he felt different now, as though that old of him was gone, as though he was a new person.  
  
"Will you kiss me Shinji?" Asuka said, breaking the silence abruptly.  
  
Shinji had no idea what to say, it had caught him completely off guard. How could she ask that, after all of the shit that had happened? She was defiantly drunk, that's it, drunk. He turned away from her.  
  
"You can't be serious."  
  
Asuka was taken back from this; this was definitely a new Shinji. Sure his voice at times wavered, and his movements still had that timid approach in it. But there was something, something that either he had discovered or that Irish boy had put in him. And Asuka liked it, she liked it a lot.  
  
Not really sure why she was doing this, she leaned over Shinji. Pressing into him she looked him in the eyes.  
  
"Please?" she said, her face a look of honest desperation. Shinji wasn't sure if she was acting or not, but he felt strange. His anger was ebbing away and his lust was taking over from the small amount of alcohol left in his body. For a while they stayed like that, looking at each other, both torn between decisions. Only the light snoring of a one of the sleeper's on the opposite couch was heard. It was a stalemate.  
  
Until Asuka made her move.  
  
Shinji was in shock as Asuka lunged at him. Her lips met his, and her tongue parted his mouth. Shinji sat with his eyes open in shock for a while, not really believing what was going on. But then he started to enjoy the feeling, wasn't this what he had dreamed about for months. He let his tongue meet hers and they kissed passionately.  
  
Asuka was searching now. Searching for that meek young boy she had come to hate, yet love all the same. She hadn't known about her feelings, as slight as they where until the ball. Until he started dancing with that doll. Hell, she didn't know if it was love or not, maybe just lust, but she wanted him so badly. Right now, she wanted to feel him all over.  
  
But she couldn't find him; she couldn't find the real Shinji. The old Shinji, who never drank, never smoked and always cooked her food. The one that would apologise, then cringe as she yelled at him for being so stupid. All she could find was something else, something indescribable. Like some horrible monster that was being unleashed, one that was just being born.  
  
She pulled away sharply, and slapped Shinji across the face.  
  
Shinji jerked back and cried out, that really hurt!  
  
Asuka stumbled back and hit the table, knocking over the C.D. player with a huge crash. There was a shout from Billy's room and a large rustle. Billy popped out of the hall soon after, in his boxers.  
  
"What the- -"he started, but then Asuka started screaming.  
  
"Where's my Shinji!" she screamed at the boy on the couch. Shinji just stared back, with those eyes that where his, but not his.  
  
"Give him back!" she screamed, grabbing the boy by his shirt, shaking him. Shinji pushed her off. He felt some kind of deep rumbling feeling in his stomach, and a great anger over took him.  
  
"Get away from me you bitch!" he pushed her over in one powerful move.  
  
Asuka gasped as she fell back and hit the round on her ass. She looked up and scurried back, tears budding around her face.  
  
"Get away from me!" she screamed at Shinji as he reached out, thinking he was about to attack. Shinji was only trying to help her up, his rage that had flared up gone as quickly as it had come. He didn't know where it had come from, but he regretted finding it. As much as he hated Asuka at that precise moment in time, he had no will to assault her.  
  
Asuka picked her self up and stared at the boy in front of her.  
  
"Your not my Shinji!" she said, this time full of malice and hate.  
  
She turned to leave and Shinji tried to follow, but Billy had grabbed him and held him firmly. Shinji had never felt anything so strong in his life; it was like two great pylons had latched around him. He struggled with the massive boy, but to no avail.  
  
"Let me go!" he yelled at his friend "Let me go! I gotta go talk to her!"  
  
Billy shook his head, "No" was all he said and his grip tightened.  
  
Asuka left with out a word, tears now almost flowing down her face. But she wouldn't. She would only cry over Shinji, not over that thing that she had kissed. She felt dirty, violated, as though her mouth was now cancerous and pus filled. She down the hall towards Misato's apartment, but when she got to the stairs leading up to her level, she doubled over. All the alcohol she had drunk catching up with her.  
  
She retched once, twice, and then vomited all over the floor. She gasped for breath, and then vomited again. Her hair was now sticky with puke, and she stumbled up the first three steps. Willing her self to go on, she made it up one flight and turned down the hallway. Everything seemed green in colour now, and it was spinning fast. She almost lost her balance twice, but always kept sturdy at the last second. She was sure that if she fell she would never get up again.  
  
As she stumbled into the apartment she rushed into the bathroom. She leaned over the sink and let forth a fresh wave of sick. She vomited too many times to count, gasping for air. She begged it too stop, but talking only made it worse, bringing on more waves of sickly stomach juice.  
  
Finally though, it stopped. She gasped for air, but her throat was too bunched up to make a difference. She collapsed onto the tile floor and gazed at the roof. All she could see through her spinning mass of vision were two eyes. Shinji's eyes, but not, impostors, fakes looking at her behind a disguise. She gasped for air once more as her throat clenched, then passed out.  
  
--------------------------- ------------------------- ---------------------- --  
  
Misato watched the screen with a look of worry. It had been three days since she had found Asuka curled into a ball on the bathroom floor. There had been a mass of vomit in the sink, and her hair was sticky with it.  
  
After a cup of coffee Asuka had explained everything. Misato was shocked, and scared as well. Shinji was still at Billy's and he had refused to return when she called. She had smashed the phone into the wall and cried her self to sleep that night. Was her little Shinji really gone? She had felt like Shinji's mother, as though he was her own son. In her own little world she had hoped he thought the same, but now she realised that he felt no tie whatsoever.  
  
She hated Billy.  
  
It was his fault this had happened. He had turned him into what he was now. She hated him, she hated everything about him. Right down to that smarmy smile and that cocky walk. If she had her way he would have been shipped back Ireland and could rot there. Bastard...  
  
She was looking at all the pilots, getting inserted in too some new training machine. The English had invented some sort of VR machine, which connected directly to the users neurons. It used much of the same technology found in the Eva synch plugs, but not as highly advanced. Also it had some kind of new system, which nullified the brains reaction to pain or pleasure. In other words, you would only feel the impact of blows, not the pain that should be registered.  
  
Ritsuko had explained all this too her, not noticing that her friend didn't care. She was too worried about Shinji, what had become of him?  
  
When he walked in with Billy he looked so different. He defiantly looked more confident, stronger as well as his shoulders where now no longer down cast, and his movements where more straight forward and direct. But it was the eyes which where the most different.  
  
Shinji's eyes usually are sorrowful, world-weary even, as though the owner had seen too much for his time. It was true; Shinji had seen things that no one his age should see. But hadn't everyone? But still it was one of his features, those big sad puppy dog eyes, and Misato knew that if she was younger she could get lost in those beautiful eyes.  
  
But now they where changed, not much, but enough to unsettle you. They where no longer deep, but seemed to pierce out. They looked at you as though they could see you very soul, every secret thing you ever had revealed for all too see. That and they where cold, so very cold. While a smile may be on his face, they would not quite reach his eyes. They where like Rei's, and even more unsettling.  
  
If you had not known Shinji intimately, as Asuka and Misato did, you would not see any change. All you would see was a young boy who now walked with a little more pep. As though he just got his daily dosage of blood and vinegar. But it wasn't that he was completely changed, no it was far from that. It was though a new part of Shinji had woken up, and made it self a picture for the world. And that was terrible. It was Shinji, but it was not, and Misato nearly wept. For even though the sweet boy had not died, something was else being born.  
  
She could not explain it, all ready all of her thoughts made no sense, but it was there, but it wasn't. And it chilled her too the bone.  
  
She looked at the pilots, as they got ready in their plugs.  
  
She looked at Shinji painfully, she knew that he was changing and should be happy, but it was what he was changing into that scared her. She looked away to the next screen and Rei sat solemnly in the 'training plug'. Her blue hair fell across her face in that strange shaggy but combed hairstyle. Her milk white was contrasting with her deep blood red eyes, and Misato had to admit she looked very beautiful.  
  
Asuka looked like her usual self, over her night with Shinji. Her hair fell over her shoulders and ran down her back. Her blue eyes and pale skin made her look like some kind of ancient shield maiden, what were they called. Valkyers, at least she thought that was how it was pronounced. Her body was the most women like of the girls and its curves where perfect. Misato was sometimes jealous, she sometimes wished that old age would never take its bite on her.  
  
Billy was different, but in some ways was like Asuka, but the only resemblance was the skin. His hair was brown, but lighter the Shinji's and his eyes a piercing blue. His physique was lean, but not skinny like most Japanese. It was well toned and he projected power wherever he went. Whenever he was around you, you could feel all that speed and strength through the air. All the tension as it willed its master to wield it, like an over filled basket ready to break under so much weight.  
  
And yet he still had that smirk, that smirk which was just like Kaji's but not as sleazy. Just sorta slightly amused. She hated that smile, she wished she could just rip it outta him!  
  
"Mam?" said Hyuga worriedly, and Misato came back to attention.  
  
"What? Sorry Hyuga I was thinking."  
  
"Should we begin the program?" said the technician, looking at his dream girl with a concerned face. After Shinji had left he thought she had been losing it, long silences, short fuse and no concentration all part of her routine now.  
  
"Yes, or course we should" she told the thick-glassed tech as she looked at the screen.  
  
"Begin the training!"  
  
--------------------------------- ------------------------------  
  
First there was a huge rush of light, then a stabbing pain in the back of his neck that made him close his eyes for about three seconds. Then it stopped, as suddenly as it had started, and he opened his eyes.  
  
Instantly Shinji knew something was wrong. Even though the city before him looked real, and the plug he was in looked like his plug, there was something missing. It was like he was not in his body; he was in someone else's body and he was controlling it. He moved his arms around and tried to get used to it. After a bit he started to adapt, but it was still unnerving.  
  
He looked around and saw the other four Eva's standing in a circle. He was part of the pattern. They where all facing into the centre, with Asuka on his left and Rei on his right, and Billy directly in front of him.  
  
Trying to shake the feeling of other worldliness he observed the other Eva's. Rei's was the same old Blue Cyclops, and Asuka's was still some kind of four-eyed red monster. He had expected Billy's to be some kind of new look altogether, but there were few changes to the original Eva design.  
  
It was a deep green, the colour of clover amusingly, and it had strange little tattoos on it. He remembered Billy telling him that he had had his Eva 'customised' in minor ways to suit his style. He guessed that the catholic cross across its left breastplate had been air brushed on because of this.  
  
It had six eyes, each one an even darker green then the body. Its armour was slightly thicker then the other three Eva's, and the back armour was thicker then the rest, sticking out a little too far. But apart from that it was not so different to the rest of the Eva's.  
  
A voice crackled around the computer-generated city.  
  
"Ok then kids," said the voice of Ritsuko Akagi "lets begin, in a moment a screen will appear in front of you with weapons choices. Each of you will be given a different type of weapon type. Asuka will have hand-to-hand combat, Shinji mid range weaponry and Rei long-range weaponry. You will then engage pilot O'Neil in combat, a fight to the 'death'. This is to test our own weaponry against the new technology that the UK department has given too us."  
  
"Do you understand?" she asked, after taking a breath.  
  
"Yes" said the children.  
  
"Good" came the reply.  
  
Misato's voice took over.  
  
"Asuka, you and Billy are up first, Shinji and Rei are spectators."  
  
Everything went dark, and then came back to life very differently. It was though Shinji was floating above the city, but he had no body. By simply willing it he could move anywhere, through walls, through anything he wished. He supposed it was used to watch the fight from different angles, to study the fighting technique. He floated above the city, comfortable with the angle and watched.  
  
---------------------- ----------------------------------  
  
Asuka held the power axe tightly in her grip, now it was time to teach that dirt bag who's in charge here.  
  
Billy had no weapons, but the Eva's fist's clenched hard.  
  
"So I suppose you're here to kick my ass?" said Billy with a bemused smile.  
  
Asuka smiled back "you better believe it."  
  
Billy laughed at loud and Asuka felt rage spark within her.  
  
"Well come on then, you gonna one liner me to death? Or are you really just a red headed bimbo like they say you are."  
  
That had done it.  
  
With a roar Asuka charged, yelling her war cry as she raised the axe. Eva- 02 was only four bounds away from its target, and Billy still had not moved.  
  
She swung the axe down hard, hoping to split the bastards skull. But she jerked as something stopped the weapon mid swing.  
  
She looked in shock and Eva-06 stood in front of her, with its hand around the shaft of the axe just below the head. She tried to break it free but the grip was too strong. The green Eva brought it fist back, and Billy smiled.  
  
CRACK  
  
Asuka reeled back; she had felt a tremendous impact but no pain. It was a very sickly experience. Her Eva's hand lost its grip on the axe handle and she fell flat on her back.  
  
Misato and Ritsuko watched from the control room, looking into the computer arena.  
  
"What a punch!" said Ritsuko.  
  
"So? All he can do is punch!" snapped Misato back; she had been hoping that Asuka could have taught the boy a lesson.  
  
Back on the field, Billy spun the axe expertly in a complex arc around himself. He watched the red Eva get up, and take a fighting stance.  
  
Billy laughed over the comm, making Asuka even madder. She screamed at him.  
  
"Whats so funny!"  
  
"How easy that was, from what I heard you where supposed to be good!"  
  
Asuka screamed as she charged, and Billy knew he had won.  
  
In a fit of rage she hadn't thought that maybe a full charge wouldn't work on this enemy, and walked right into the taunt. Billy struck her in the back of the head with butt end of the axe in a skilful show of footwork, and the Red Cyborg hit the ground face first. It skidded a little, and tore up most of the already broken street.  
  
Billy swung the axe over his head and it connected sharply with Eva-02's lower back. She arched it as she felt something in her own back, grinding away, but no pain. It felt like a sort of dull sensation. In other words it felt horrible.  
  
Billy hefted the shaft and the axe came out, blood oozing out in torrents of the hideous wound. Eva-02 squirmed on the floor, trying to get up. Billy knew what he had cut, Eva's and humans where built very similar. It would probably bleed to death soon if had hit what he thought he had. But he had other plans.  
  
He spun the red giant around onto its back, making sure Asuka could see her defeater. Asuka was screaming in fury. She couldn't be beaten, not by this little inbreed! She grasped for him, tearing at the armour on his Eva's legs. But it didn't work, she couldn't get a grip, the armour was too smooth and hard.  
  
"Lights out devil girl!" said Billy with a grin and the green behemoth lifted the Axe once again.  
  
With a heavy thwack the axe fell and Asuka's vision went dead.  
  
------------------- ------------------------  
  
Asuka screamed in rage as she felt her self disconnected from the fight. She had lost, to that little worm. And he had done it so effortlessly, like it was no problem. She would kill him when she got out, he was going to pay dearly. Visions of pummelling his head into a locker filled her head, it was going to be sweet. She was the best, the best of the best, no one here could hold their own against her in battle. Her revenge would be beautiful, but deadly.  
  
Misato and Ritsuko looked over the view screen, Misato frowning.  
  
"Well the boy has skill," said Ritsuko writing something on a clipboard.  
  
"Shut up!" snapped Misato harshly "just load Rei into the damn thing!"  
  
------------------------------- -------------------------  
  
Rei was booted in, her sniper rifle clutched in her hand. It was a new piece of technology recently developed, so was not as big and bulky as the earlier models. She was lying down in a giant mountain pas above the city, scanning for the green Eva. She was not concerned; the bullet would pass through his A.T. field before he could power it up properly.  
  
Billy scanned the horizons, in this computer world his natural senses where useless. He was blind now, but his nerves where on edge. He darted between the buildings, looking all the time to find his hidden enemy.  
  
Rei spotted him, he thought he was safe behind two large skyscrapers but Rei had a perfect shot at his head from behind. She set in the right distance and power and took aim.  
  
She pulled the trigger.  
  
It so quick that Rei was in shock for a while. Billy spun around as the trigger was just barely pulled and put out his hand. There was a great flash of light and Rei was blinded, being forced to close her eyes. Opening them she checked down the scope, and nearly gasped. But it was Rei, so she just furrowed her brow slightly.  
  
Billy had engaged his A.T. field in the last second to pin point accuracy. The laser pulse was only metres from the Eva's hand, struggling against the hexagonal orange A.T field that trapped it. With what seemed like a massive effort the giant threw its hand to the side. The laser shot flew off at a 90-degree angle and hit a building. There was another smaller flash of light and a lot of smoke as the pulse exploded on impact.  
  
Rei set her weapon to rapid fire, and started to shoot at Billy's Eva.  
  
With great speed Billy urged his Eva' to move, sweating from the effort of stopping the pulse before hand. His Eva ran blindly around and sometimes through buildings, laser shots raining down destruction around him. Pressing a button on the handles side, he saw a steel monolith rise to the left. Perfect cover.  
  
He dived behind it, and felt the energy beams pass close to his legs. The green Eva pressed its back against the steel and he heard the dull thuds of pulse shots hitting the steel. It held.  
  
Rei set her rifle back to sniper mode, waiting for Billy to poke his head out of cover.  
  
Billy pressed another button on one of his hand controls and the left thigh armour on the Eva opened up. A pistol on a stand came out, and the green Eva took it in its left hand.  
  
Billy caught his breath and got ready for the next part; this was a life or death situation, sort off.  
  
He spun out, quickly taking in the distance and location of his attacker.  
  
Rei saw her target, but before she had a chance to pull her trigger Billy fired.  
  
The energy beam streaked towards her too fast for her to react. It hit the scope, went through it, and connected with her Eva's single eye.  
  
The world went dark as she felt her head thrown back. He had won again.  
  
----------------------------- ------------------------  
  
Misato slammed her hands on her desk. Her and Misato had retired to their own respectable workstation on the command deck, tired of standing up.  
  
"That's impossible, there's no way anyone could make a shot like that!" She yelled towards Ritsuko.  
  
Ritsuko shook her head and replayed the action before her on her own private screen, also not believing what she saw.  
  
"Just what is this kid?" Misato muttered angrily under her breath, looking at the pilot view screen. Billy was smiling, panting, but still smiling.  
  
---------------------------- ------------------------  
  
Shinji felt himself being loaded into the field. He closed his eyes as a great flash of white light enveloped his view, and opened them once it had faded.  
  
The city had been reconstructed from the mass destruction it had just received, looking like it had before the previous battle. Shinji held the rifle in his hand tightly; Billy once again had no weapons.  
  
"So now you're here to try and beat me?" said Billy, sounding bored. "Well come on then, lets see what you got."  
  
Shinji brought the rifle level with his shoulder, took aim, and fired.  
  
The green Eva leapt into the air, the bullets skimming under it harmlessly. The two large pieces of armour at it back opened up, and there was a great flash of yellow light. Shinji shielded his eyes, and the green Eva seemed to be suspended in mid air.  
  
When the light faded, Shinji looked up and gasped openly. The Eva had wings! Two yellow coloured glowing wings! They looked like they where made up of pure energy, and the Eva glided effortlessly to the ground, to the left of where it had just leapt from.  
  
"Nice try," said Billy, smiling larger then ever "but now try and hit me, I promise I wont jump."  
  
Shinji levelled the rifle and emptied off the rest of the clip.  
  
The wings folded in front of their owner, and the energy pulse's rebounded off in all directions as they struck them. Shinji gaped, and his empty clip fell too the ground steaming.  
  
Billy laughed out loud, and the wings folded back into his back, then dissipated. The armour hatches closed.  
  
"Well it seems that your rifle is pretty useless right now," taunted the boy "lets see how you do close range!"  
  
One of the buildings closest to Billy's folded down, and he ran towards it. Shinji tried hastily to reload, but he couldn't, he had only been given one clip!  
  
Eva-06 grabbed a long power katana from the building, which was really a weapons cache in disguise. He took a fighting stance.  
  
Shinji drew his progressive knife form his shoulder armour, and the two Eva's waited for one to make a move.  
  
This time Billy struck first.  
  
With a yell the green Eva leaped into the air and held the sword high above its head. Shinji barley had time to raise his knife when it came crashing down on top of him.  
  
Sparks flew as the two vibrating knives connected, their owners pushing against each other. But no one would budge. Shinji had been thrown into the ground, making a small crater in the city concrete. Billy was on top, his foot planted firmly into the Eva's stomach.  
  
"Good," said Billy with a crazy smile "I was starting to get bored."  
  
He stepped back and took the katana above his head. The purple Eva rolled out the way at the last second as the huge sword stabbed down. Shinji tried to get up, but he felt a huge force in his ribs as the green Eva lashed out with a shin kick, launching Eva-01 off the ground.  
  
The purple Cyborg spun in mid-air, so powerful was the kick, and came crashing down on its back. It quickly got up, staggering a little as its owner regained his senses. The feeling of impact but no pain was unsettling.  
  
Billy smiled once again.  
  
"You ARE good!" he said, "Now lets finish this!"  
  
Shinji realised then he had no knife, too late he reached for the back up one in his opposite shoulder.  
  
With a giant rip, the green Eva charged and sent the katana right through Eva-01 chest. Shinji felt it through his own, but once again he felt no pain. He felt like throwing up.  
  
The purple Eva was lifted clear off the ground as Billy raised the sword, and it impaled even further on the blade. Shinji saw the screen fading black and knew he was defeated.  
  
But there was a part of Shinji that spoke up. One he had no idea was even there. It told him that he could not lose, that not this man, that not any man, could beat him. No one could!  
  
Knowing what he had to do he willed the purple Eva to grab the green one by the shoulders. Billy's eyes opened as he felt himself getting pulled into a crushing grip. He struggled, but he could not escape.  
  
Shinji released one hand, and felt vomit in his throat as the whole sword sliced through him. He pulled the knife out of his shoulder armour, and raised it high. The screen was almost black, he hadn't much time.  
  
With a great effort he drove the knife through the green Eva's head. Then the simulation shut down around him.  
  
Billy was in shock; he had been beaten, for the first time in his life. He smiled though, for instead of rage he felt happiness. He hadn't lost, it had been a draw. So it was true, Ikari was indeed greatly skilled. All he had too do was train a little and he would be unstoppable, even more powerful then him.  
  
He laughed to himself; this was going to be fun.  
  
--------------------- -------------------  
  
Shinji and Billy walked from the change rooms, laughing among themselves. Shinji had never felt happier. He had found some one who had cared. Some one who hadn't taken him because he was a pilot, and some one who hadn't taken advantage of him time and time again. A small voice in the back of his head said something about Rei, but he silenced it immediately. He couldn't think about her right now.  
  
When he had walked into the building for the training he had talked to her for only twenty five seconds.  
  
"Your different" she had said, Shinji had blushed and only nodded.  
  
"I don't like it" and with that she was gone, simply turned and left.  
  
If this had been Shinji a week ago, he would have felt depressed, but this time he felt angry. What was every one so upset about? He was happy, he had some confidence; he was having FUN with his life. Not much but it was a start.  
  
"You think too much!" said Billy slapping him on the back, shaking him from his thought "in a fight you cant think about stuff, that's why it was only a draw!"  
  
Shinji smiled, yeah a draw.  
  
Misato was waiting for him at the front doors. She looked angry. Asuka was about three feet down the hall looking at the wall.  
  
Shinji had expected this; he was guessing what would come next.  
  
"Shinji, its time too come home!" she said sternly "lets go!"  
  
Shinji looked at Misato, then looked at Billy. He had two choices.  
  
Go back with Misato and spend the rest of his teenage years cleaning up after her and doing Asuka's cooking.  
  
Go with Billy and spend the rest of his life happy  
  
The choice was obvious.  
  
He looked at Misato with all the spine he could muster, which was too his surprise quite a bit.  
  
"I'm going home with Billy, I want too move in with him."  
  
Misato looked at Shinji as though she was going to kill him. But also she looked sad, as though she had lost something very dear. Shinji supposed she had.  
  
"Shinji you can't, I'm you guardian and when I say- -"  
  
But Billy cut her off.  
  
"Listen lady, you can't decide what he does and doesn't do, if he wants to stay with me then I'll be more then happy to let him."  
  
Misato looked at Billy, shooting daggers with her eyes.  
  
"In Japan YOUNG man we don't interrupt our elders!"  
  
Billy smiled back  
  
"In Ireland we don't give a fuck!"  
  
He laughed at his own joke, Shinji even smiled a little.  
  
"C'mon man lets get outta here," said Billy to his new flatmate, and he turned too leave.  
  
Shinji looked at Misato and Asuka for a while, had he made the right choice. Misato looked at him, but her face had changed. It looked almost.......pleading.  
  
He turned; he had made his decision and would stick by it.  
  
Misato looked at their backs as they left the door, walking down the street away from her, maybe forever.  
  
She threw a violent kick towards the metal wall, that little bastard.  
  
"C'mon Asuka we're leaving!" she said angrily, Asuka followed suite.  
  
"What are you going to do now?" said Asuka, her voice the very meaning of venom.  
  
"Go and get him tonight!" she said as she pressed the automatic lock on her car keys, the car blinking to life for a few seconds.  
  
There was no way she was losing Shinji to that bastard.  
  
---------------------------- --------------------------  
  
Shinji and Billy spent the rest of the night drinking (ok so BILLY spent the rest of the night drinking, Shinji just sipped a little) in celebration of Shinji's new residence.  
  
"Ok then," said Billy over the table, a cigarette in his left and beer in his right "Here are the ground rules now that you're a permanent member of the club. One, when we get a girl each there wont be ANY trading. Two, we have turns on shouting the beer. Three, we don't steal each others cigarettes and four, we will not date the other persons ex, ever."  
  
Shinji nodded in agreement, in Billy's strange little world, they made perfect sense.  
  
After that little talk the night proceeded as normal, with smoking, drinking, watching T.V. and mostly talk about girls. Shinji was surprised that Billy seemed interested in Rei, but he felt a pang of jealously as the conversation went on. Billy sensing this in his friend, moved on and talked about something else.  
  
"So hows Asuka been?" he asked Shinji.  
  
Shinji shook his head "don't know, and don't care. I don't need someone like that in my life."  
  
Billy nodded and smiled, then took a deep swig of his bottle. He let out a satisfied sigh as it left his lips and moved on with the subject.  
  
"Good point, I thought that Toji was over exaggerating until that party night. Too bad you where there for that part, the rest was great!"  
  
Shinji smiled, "yeah well she's gone now, at least from my life, all I have to do is face her at work and school."  
  
Billy smiled as well "buddy, that's hell enough."  
  
Both of them took a deep swig, a silent male version of agreement.  
  
The doorbell ringing interrupted their little party, and Shinji got up too answer it.  
  
"If it's the landlord, let me talk to him!" said Billy as Shinji walked down the hall. When he opened the door though, it was much worse.  
  
Misato was standing there, looking just like she did before, pissed.  
  
"Shinji this has gone on long enough, I want you home this instant." She demanded. Then she looked down at Shinji's hand.  
  
"Since when did you smoke!" she said, a little too loud.  
  
"Since now" said Shinji taking a deep drag.  
  
"Don't you know how bad it is for you, it could seriously affect your piloting!"  
  
Shinji shook his head.  
  
"That's all it ever was Misato, piloting. That's why you wanted me to move in in the first place."  
  
Misato looked shocked, was this the Shinji she knew?  
  
'No' she thought 'it's a Shinji that's been corrupted by him.'  
  
"Don't be silly!" she snapped at Shinji "now c'mon lets go home."  
  
"I am home Misato, and what would you make me do if I came back, make me cook your food then go to my room to sulk?"  
  
Misato was getting angry.  
  
"Why are you being like this Shinji, you know that me and Asuka care about you!"  
  
Shinji laughed, but to Misato it seemed as though he was laughing at her.  
  
"Don't bullshit me Misato, Asuka hates my guts, she always has. And you where too drunk to notice me ever. Good bye Misato."  
  
Shinji went to close the door, but Misato grabbed him.  
  
"Shinji please don't do this" she said, she was sounding desperate now.  
  
Shinji looked at her, could he really leave. Misato HAD always been there for him, and tried to make him feel happier. Was it her fault hat she didn't know how to deal with him. He felt urged to go with her now.  
  
But then the thought of what Asuka would say too him, how cowardly he was and how she always knew he would come crawling back. Misato wasn't the problem here, she never was. But Asuka, he couldn't live with her. Not ever. Not after that kiss.  
  
"No Misato."  
  
Misato held on tighter, and tried to pull him out. Did she want him this much. He couldn't go with her though, never.  
  
Then he felt a strong hand pull him back and heard a click.  
  
Billy was standing there, a silver gun in his hand. It looked polished, sleek and deadly. A machine built for one thing, death.  
  
Misato stepped back and let go of Shinji. She looked at the barrel then looked at Billy.  
  
"Leave" he said "He said leave, and now I say leave."  
  
"How dare you!" said Misato.  
  
Billy did not smile.  
  
"Do not think I will not kill you Major, Your security cannot touch me. I suggest you leave."  
  
Misato looked at Shinji with a desperate glance, hoping for him too come.  
  
Shinji looked at her, he wanted too, but he could never go back to that.  
  
He turned away form the door and walked back into the kitchen.  
  
He heard a few more words from the front door, then the door close. Billy walked in and put the gun in a drawer. Sitting down at the table, he looked at Shinji with a grin.  
  
Shinji looked back at him frowning.  
  
"Did you really have to do that?" asked Shinji, and Billy's smile faded.  
  
"Sorry bud," he said apologetically "but the only thing to get people to respond immediately is if they think they are going to die."  
  
Shinji was still looking at his friend. "Would you have done it?"  
  
Billy shrugged "if I had enough reason too, I don't kill people who don't deserve it."  
  
Shinji went silent.  
  
"You want a beer?" he asked, leaning back on the chair reaching for the fridge.  
  
Shinji looked at him, registering what had just happened. He was gone from that life, time to start a new one. But right now he wanted to forget that look Misato gave him, to wipe it completely off his memory.  
  
"Hell," he said with a smile "lets break out the whiskey!"  
  
Billy whooped and got the two drinks, paint stripper would have been more accurate though, and tossed one to Shinji.  
  
Shinji took off the lid and drank deeply. Ever drop that passed his lips killed a little of him that night. A new Shinji had awoken, one that didn't take crap and stood up for itself.  
  
He was REBORN!  
  
---------------------------- -------------------------  
  
A/N  
  
Firstly I would like to say how sorry I am.  
  
I know right now this chapter seems like TOTAL bull shit, but it has relevance to later chapters. Please believe me here. I'm sorta ashamed of this chapter and would like to hear everyone else's thoughts, so if you reading this, just click on the review button and put in you views. Please, it will save a life.  
  
I guess I wrote this because I always thought why would Shinji stay with Misato. Asuka treated him like shit and he was technically a slave. I guessed he never left because he had no confidence, which he thought this was a good as it could get. It wasn't a horrible place to live, but I could not see someone with Shinji's state of mind being happy in a place like that. It wasn't that clear in this chapter, but I'm putting across that if some like Billy who is so tough and independent can like Shinji, then he would feel a lot better about himself. Maybe enough to cut ties with Misato and move on, as painful as it might have been.  
  
Next chapter will definitely be about the angel attack, and about a lot of other things. Remember review, it will help me. By the looks of this chapter you might think it has made me worse, but believe me this is going somewhere.  
  
FIN 


	6. A Mans Job

**Other side chapter 6: A Mans Job/Nothing**

A/N:

Whats up ppl. Seems people really enjoy the fic so far, you sick freaks! I'm back too my old self now after crying about how bad chapter five was, but hey its over now. I'll try and fix the damage in this chapter, but I'm sure it won't help. Oh and too who ever Non-Slash is please go and shove your own head up you ass for being such a dick. You suck the hairy horse cock and beg for more, and you smear peanut butter on your balls to let stray French people lick it off (note: I am not a sexist, if you are indeed a women I'm sure you do the same thing with your tits.) I'm sorry but I hate morons who put shit on people's stories for no good reason and I quote 'LOL, THIS IS COMPLETE BULLSHIT.' end quote.

So there we have it, a moron (or bitch as I said before) who can't think up a good reason too bag my story other then LOL. Whoever you are, I'm sure you and your bong will be very happy together spending all day every day together in front of the T.V. Jerking off to re-runs of old Charlie's angel's programs while eating dog food, which is all you can afford cause you are on the dole and can't get a job. You are the type of person who's only come backs to these two paragraphs will involve me being homosexual ('shut up you fag' is not an insult, just your vague attempt at wit). You will most likely include words in said retort such as 'woot'; 'noob', L337, 'P00NZ3D' and vague references too counter strike. Get a girlfriend (or boyfriend) and move on.

(Takes deep breath)

Anyway, enjoy the fic.

--------------------- --------------------

Shinji was bored out of his mind.

How the sensei could talk about the second impact for so long amazed the young boy. He prattled on and on, totally oblivious to the lack of attention from his students and their light snores, never even looking at them from his view from the window. In fact if you listened to him for more the ten minets, you would realize that he was simply going in circles, telling the same old stories over and over again. Of course this was almost humanly possible, with only Hikari able to stand more then five minets of the seemingly endless drone.

The classroom was your normal school build, and its set up was the same as the rest of the many classes. Rows of desks, each one occupied by a daydreaming or lightly dozing student, faced the black board where the sensei continued his 'lecture'.

Windows lined the walls, giving light too the room. Shinji circled the room with his eyes, his attention nowhere near the board.

Rei was two rows in front of him, looking out the window in her usual emotionless stature. Rei had not spoken to Shinji these past few days', something that puzzled him greatly. He really thought that she was interested in him. But why would she be, he was just poor pitiful Shinji, a loser, an outcast...

'Snap outta it Shinji' he told himself, his newfound confidence coming back too him. He wrenched his eyes away from the blue haired girl and focused on the rest of his friends.

To his right Billy was sleeping, not too subtly either. He was leaning back on his chair with his legs sprawled across his desk. His arms hung limp, and his head hung limply over the back of his chair. He snored quite loudly, and was attracting a few glances from other students. Toji was lightly snoring in the next desk; his head slumped against the wood.

Kensuke was next to Shinji on the left, but was too wrapped up in his computer. His hands where moving across the keyboard, as though he was playing it like an instrument. He had a grin on his face and his eyes where fixated on the flashing screen. 'Computer games' sighed Shinji inwardly as Kensuke leaned forward, his nose almost touching the monitor.

As he was seated in the back row, all he could see was the back of Asuka's head in the left corner, she too slumping against the desk, looking at the wall in a silent dream. Shinji felt his inner anger begin to boil, and he gritted his teeth. Fucking bitch! All she cared about was him cooking and cleaning; nothing meant a thing to her. Self centred little cow!

A part of him said he shouldn't think such thoughts, and even his angry heart played a few strings of lost love, and that made him even madder. She just didn't care, and he doubted she ever would.

He clamed himself, taking a few deep breaths. He was ok now; he was outta that place, for good. As much as he cared for Misato, and how much he cared for Asuka as much of a bitch she was, he couldn't live their any more. He had made the right choice to move in with Billy.

Then why did he feel so guilty, why did his soul trouble him so at night when he tried to sleep. He hadn't left them; they had driven him out. Or had they? Was he at fault here? Who was to tell?

Struggling, his mind came too the only conclusion it could.

'I need a smoke' he said in his head, and he too slumped back.

Why me?

----------------------- -------------------------

Shinji ate his lunch as Billy told some outrageous story about him, a French village girl and a barn. Toji and Kensuke where laughing with him, holding their sides as the story unfolded. Shinji was even smiling, eating his sandwich slowly one bite at a time.

"And then!" said Billy between chuckles "He walks in and just yells "what are you doing to my daughter!"

He stopped short as he laughed again.

"And I just turn at him, still going at it, and say calm as ever "Daughter! She said she was your wife!"

Kenuske hit the ground he was laughing so hard, and Toji leaned back as his face went bright red.

"And then he picks up this rake and starts chasing me, and accidentally wallops her over the head! So now he's chasing me with this rake, but still he has to drag her with her cause she's all fucked up. And outta the blue my mate Chris comes in the barn and just says."

He stopped cause his laughter came over him. Billy had a great roar of a laugh, one that was happy, but at times tiptoed on the edges of insanity.

"He says," he paused here for dramatic effect "Billy I told you, you're a young man just don't do it!"

Toji collapsed on the floor too, tears streaming down his face. Shinji even started laughing, even though he didn't believe half of the story.

Their fun though was cut short as a shadow of death loomed over them.

Shinji looked up and saw Asuka glaring down at him, definitely ticked off.

"Where's my lunch" she said to him, her voice white but ready to burst into a blind rage.

Shinji looked at her blankly "what?"

Asuka leaned up real close, too close for Shinji's liking.

"I said where's my lunch?" she said, still in that same deadly voice, her eyes smouldering like a fire ready to ignite.

"You can't be serious," replied Shinji slowly towards her, his anger at even seeing her enough to stop him backing down.

"So you don't have it?" she said still very calm, almost too calm for Shinji's liking.

"Of course I don't you crazy bitch!" he spat back and returned to his lunch. There was a hushed silence as his three friends looked at him in shock. No one had expected a reaction like that, especially from Shinji.

For Asuka, it was the match to her gas leak.

"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME!" she screamed at him, so suddenly that he nearly jumped out of his desk. Billy stopped smiling, one of the few times he did, and Kensuke and Toji seemed too go numb with shock.

Shinji looked back at her, his eyes brimming with barely constrained fury.

"I called you a crazy bitch, now go away!" he growled between gritted teeth.

Asuka reeled back a little, her face the living embodiment of terror. Shinji did not back down, or cringe or apologise. He was too angry for that, in fact all he felt was a need to strike out at her, to hurt her, really hurt her. Then maybe she would leave him alone for good.

Before he had time to even think this theory through...........

SLAP

Shinji came off the chair, and felt shocking pain in his left cheek. It burned, burned like a red-hot fire had just been lit in his mouth. He tasted blood and his rage overcame him.

"YOU FUCKING SLUT!" he screamed back at her. Toji and Kensuke nearly passed out, Shinji yelling? This was unheard of. Billy simply watched.

Asuka looked down at the boy with hatred, fucking asshole. All he ever thought about was him self, selfish little bastard. Now he thought he could just up and leave. She would show him, she would show him all right. He was hers, not any one----

WHOMP

Asuka doubled over, the wind knocked out of her by a terrific force. Shinji had gotten up and delivered an uppercut to her stomach in one fluid movement. She staggered back, her mind not really registering what had just happened.

Had Shinji really hit her? Was he that far gone from her? Would she ever see the old Shinji again? She felt her breath returning and looked up. Shinji was standing over her, his eyes flashing with malice. She straightened up a little and looked him directly in his eyes.

"Bastard..........." she spat out, turned, and ran.

Shinji followed her progress across the yard, trying not to meet the stares of idle passers by. He sat down with his friends, and took a bite of his sandwich. Pain flared in his cheek and he grabbed it involuntarily. Crazy bitch.

Suddenly Billy reached over the table and grabbed him by the collar. It happened so fast that Shinji never saw it coming. He felt his head being slammed into the table, and coupled with his tender cheek and Billy's massive strength he almost yelped.

Billy let him go and looked at him in the eye, his smile still gone from his face.

"That's for hitting a girl!" he said, his voice calm but eyes flashing, "and now your going to go apologise."

Shinji looked at him in surprise.

"Huh?" he said to his friend.

"Go and apologise," said Billy, deadly serious for once "and mean it!"

Shinji was about to argue, but the way that Billy was looking at him almost made him crawl on the floor in terror. He thought that any sudden movements might trigger Billy's short and fearsome temper.

"Fine" he said with contempt and got up. He walked towards the school, which was the direction Asuka had run off too. All the while he could feel Billy's eyes digging into him, as though they where daring him to turn around and face his wrath.

Shinji kept his head low, and just kept walking.

-------------------------- -----------------------------

It took Shinji half an hour to find Asuka on the school roof. His cheek was starting to swell and even the lightest touch could trigger off a miasma of pain. Asuka was looking over at the horizon, sitting down with her legs pulled up too her face.

The roof was basic enough, just a large square cement space with two or three lonely ventilation ducts sticking out. A few aerials where also poking into eh sky and cables ran down from telephone poles, directly into the one fuse box up here.

Shinji looked at Asuka for a while, in silent anger. He couldn't believe he was here, and was about to leave when a little voice reminded him of a 6 ft 5 Irishman waiting for him.

He lit a cigarette; the teachers wouldn't see him up here, and let the toxic fumes fill his body. He sighed inwardly, yeah that was relaxing. He only had to take a few steps towards Asuka before her voice rang out voice rang out.

"Go away Hikari!" she said with venom and Shinji paused.

"It's not Hikari," he said, wondering how she would react to him "and I'm here to apologise."

Asuka laughed, a soft and mocking laugh that made him even madder.

"Oh," she said in between laughs "the great and powerful Shinji is going to apologise too the crazy bitch! Well what fun that should be! Do you want me to start grovelling about how I'm not worthy?"

Shinji could have hit her again, arrogant little cow.

"No I don't, I don't expect you too say anything. I just came her to say- -"

"You're sorry?" said Asuka, finishing his sentence.

Shinji started to say something, but stopped. How could he talk to some one like this?

"You know," said Asuka, still sitting down on the cement rooftop "when you were away the first night I thought you where an asshole, and I still do, but back then I REALLY hated you. As soon as that boy shows up you gallivant off with him as though life with me was so bad you couldn't take it. It's sad you know, running away from your problems like that."

Shinji was really mad now.

"Don't drag Billy into this!" he said, a bit louder then he intended.

"Of course not," said Asuka, still in that mocking tone "we wouldn't want to bring that asshole into his own doings would we?"

"I made this choice!" said Shinji with all the fury he could muster.

"Whatever- -"said Asuka, and she got up and turned towards him. She had been crying.........

"But can I ask one thing?" she said, and the mocking voice was gone. Now all Shinji saw was a girl who looked as though she had lost the dearest thing in the world to her.

"Just for one second, can you be the Shinji that I knew?" Shinji looked at her with a dumbfounded expression, was this really Asuka?

"Please," she asked again, moving closer with every step "just one more time, can I see my Shinji again?"

Shinji looked at her for a while, summing it up. It was time to break all ties now, this was the do or die moment. He had left Misato, and this was the last step.

He took a long drag of his cigarette, and held the smoke in his throat for a while. He made his choice.

He blew the smoke into Asuka's face.

"No."

Asuka looked at him with eyes that would haunt him for nights to come. He almost cringed though, when they turned to anger.

"Asshole!"

She pushed him over in a strong shove, and left down the stairs. Shinji felt a sharp pain in his backside, but nothing too serious. He was thankful in a way; he could have taken a much worse beating then that. Then her eyes flashed into his mind once more. They had looked almost.........pleading.

'I'm such a coward........." he told himself. It was a while before he came back down.

----------------------- -------------------------

FOUR DAYS LATER

A shadow stretched appeared on the pavement. It wasn't very big, just a perfectly shaped circles resting next to a car. You wouldn't notice it really; it would just appear to be the shadow of some over hanging street lamp. But if you looked for said street lamp, above the afore mentioned shadow, you would find nothing. Peculiar? Yes, but it could only get worse.

The shadow expanded, slowly at first, but picking up speed fast. Soon it stretched the street, then the block, then four blocks. When it reached six blocks of size, it stopped, the dark blanket resting firmly on the pavement. If you did not look up, you would think that it was merely a thick, slow moving cloud.

But if you were to look up, well that's a different story.

------------------------ -----------------------------

Shinji and Billy where getting changed into their plug suits, the bright florescent glow of the change room lights hot on their backs. Seeing as the over sized square room was empty save for its two occupants, who where both silent, the gentle humming of the lights filled the room.

"Hey Shinji," said Billy, almost seriously "I'll cut you a deal."

Shinji pressed the button on the suits arm and felt it tighten around his body. He smiled and turned to his friend.

"Sure, what you got in mind?"

With a slight whoosh Billy's green and white suit hugged around his body and he leant over too his bag. He rummaged around in it and produced two cigarettes.

"Victory smokes," he replied, "we both have these when both of us are safe back home?"

Shinji looked at the cigarettes in Billy's hand

"Why not" he stated with a little bit of a smile.

Billy grinned even wider, and placed the cigarettes on the bench. He then turned towards the door and Shinji followed up beside him.

"You ready for this?" he asked Shinji half seriously.

"Hey," said Shinji with a slight smile "you're the rookie here."

-------------

Chaos had erupted in the Bridge, men and women scurrying too and fro from their posts, trying to figure out exactly what was going on. On the central platform, raised a fair distance about the other two decks, stood the main control group. Ritsuko busily tapped something across her keyboard, furrowing her brow now and again. Her three subordinates where working hard too. Hyuga was furiously typing away at something or other while Maya tapped away at a touch screen.

"Its what?" said a confused Major Katsuragi, not quite understanding what the bridge bunny had said as she leant over his workstation.

"Pattern Orange, no A.T. field detected" repeated Shigeru "The Magi are withholding information until more data is collected."

"A new type of Angel..." said Misato under her breath; this is just what they needed, especially with the commander away. He and the sub-commander always seem to disappear at the most inopportune times, leaving her to handle the whole show.

"Sir, the pilots are waiting in their Eva's for your orders" rang the voice of Maya over the loud speakers. The four young faces flashed up across the view screen. Rei looked like her normal self, unfazed and emotionless, her hair floating softly in the LCL. Asuka looked angry, but that was normal considering her persona, but Misato suspected recent events would have made her demeanour even sourer. Shinji looked quite serious, but a small smile was still etched across his face. Billy looked about as serious as a person does when they go out too a nightclub, his face plastered all over with that same annoying smile.

"Ok guys" said Misato "I want you to just sit back in military three point position, Billy I want you covering the north side while we set up the Eva's in a southern most position. We don't know much about this one, so don't attack until you get the order."

There was a collective nod from the children, and for a second even Billy seemed to be taking this seriously.

"Ok now, Asuka your on point, Rei and Shinji........."

"Not too sound rude or anything Major but don't you think Shinji should take point, as the _second _highest scoring pilot?"

Misato clenched her teeth "Pilot O'Neil..." she began but Asuka cut her off.

"I think that too, or is the big brave Shinji too scared to take up the challenge?"

What happened next no one expected.

"Ok fine I will!" snapped Shinji "In fact, I'll show you how it's done you bitch!"

This took Misato back a little, where the hell did that come from?

"Hey don't worry ladies" joked Billy "Me and Shinji here are the ultimate bad-asses, we got all the bad-ass equipment right here, we'll be sure to protect you guys with all our bad-ass shit!"

"Yeah, anyway, isn't Combat a mans job, ill take point!" Said Shinji laughing slightly. He and Billy switched off their comm links and their faces disappeared in a flash.

"Little pig! Ugh, Unit-02 will back him up!" Asuka's voice sounded pissed, but she logged off all the same.

"Unit-00 will follow" said Rei quietly and she too signed out.

Misato gritted her teeth and put her hand in her forehead "fucking kids!"

Ritsuko simply smiled "Shinji's hormones have started to kick in?"

"He's gonna get a talking too when he gets back!"

--------------------------------------

Shinji watched the giant black and white orb with tension building inside his trigger finger at an enormous rate. He could see Billy standing on top of one the buildings across the city; a rifle firmly gripped in the giant machines hands.

"You there yet?" he asked over the comm link.

"You know an Eva can't move that fast you dolt!" snapped Asuka back at him.

"Negative Pilot Ikari" came Rei's quite reply.

He could feel the pistol in the Eva's hand, he could feel the shadow of weight and pressure as its finger tightened around the trigger. He looked at the weapon, all it would need was a quick spin and.........

Shinji looked up back at the angel as it silently hovered above him. Even though it was in fact hundreds of feet in the air, from Shinji's point of view he could have reached out and grabbed it.

"Hey Billy" he raised over the comm link "you think we could take this thing down ourselves?"

Billy chuckled back at him "once again, man is left waiting for the women kind to get it together." He paused, and stroked the slight stubble underneath his chin.

"Yeah I reckon we could."

"Now wait just a mome........" Misato began but her words went unheeded.

'I'll take it myself then," Shinji thought to himself.

Eva-01 spun around the corner and raised its pistol, from this range Shinji didn't even need to aim.

He let off three consecutive shots, each one leaving the barrel with an earth-shattering crack. It felt extremely satisfying in the young Pilots hand.

The angel would have left quite a corpse, had it not disappeared.

Asuka was mid way through installing a new umbilical cable when all hell broke loose.

First she heard the collective gasp from the bridge crew and Shinji, then she heard something that put the fear of god in her heart.

"New A.T. field detected, blood pattern blue, its right under Eva-01!!!!" some one shouted frantically, she would later find out it was Hyuga, just as surprised as she was.

Chaos broke over the comm link and Misato began franticly shouting orders. She heard Shinji's sidearm firing wildly. Frantically she finished attaching the cord and began a full sprint through the city streets.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS!" she heard Shinji scream, still letting of blast after blast into an enemy she knew not of.

"Move it you idiot! " she screamed into the chatter, it was the only thing she could think of too say.

"MISATO!" Shinji screamed "HELP ME, DO SOMETHING! THIS CANT BE HAPPENING, MISATO!!!!!!!"

His voice was reaching an almost high-pitched squeal, and Asuka could no longer hear his pistol.

"FUCK!" she heard Billy say, what the hell happened to him?

"MISATO!!!!! HELPsssshhhhhhhhhhqqqrrrkkk" Shinji's voice turned to static. It sounded more chilling then if he had started screaming in agony.

"Shinji!" Misato yelled frantically over the comm "Rei! Asuka you've got to- Eva-06 what the hell are you doing!"

Asuka almost panicked for a second, knowing Billy it would probably get them all killed!

Billy saw the whole thing happening before him, Shinji screaming as his unit became, well, ABSORBED by the angels shadow, Misato screaming orders in everyone's ears, Rei and Asuka frantically trying to get there in time. He knew they wouldn't make it, it was up to him now.

He raised the rifle, took aim, and pulled the trigger.

It jammed.

He cursed out loud, and hastily tried to fix the damned machine. But he knew he didn't have time, and Shinji's head started to disappear into the almost endless blackness that surrounded it.

He engaged his wings, and started smiling. If Misato had taken even a bit of time to know Billy, she would have known that this type of smile was reserved for two things. He smiled like that when people where going to get hurt, or when he was about to do something suicidal.

This time it was the latter.

He leapt into the air, the controlled A.T. field that formed his Eva's wings catapulting him miles into the sky. He looked down, and started a speedy downward nosedive.

Right into the Shadow.

"What the hell are you doing!" Misato screamed at him.

"Getting Shinji back" he replied and switched off the comm link.

He was almost there, and he braced himself for an impact, if there was one. But suddenly his view went black, and he could feel himself falling at a random pace, most likely the Eva had gone slightly loose and was now spinning in all directions. He felt a jerk in front of him, and then a tremendous impact as he hit something, passed through it, then hit the concrete.

He swore once again, this time in Gaelic, and it was a good thing, as most people would be highly offended as to what he had to say.

Misato breathed a slight sigh of relief, while the battle was far from over, the last thing they needed was another Eva lost. It had been Hyuga who had blown off the chest armour, pushing the Eva ever so slightly in its descent, throwing it through a skyscraper and into the street. She was angrier with him then ever before, she had seen crazy stunts in her life, mainly by her on the freeway, but that one was just way to psychotic to imagine.

She had bigger problems though as Rei fired on the target, once again hitting nothing but air.

"Asuka watch out!" she yelled as the same reading as before flashed on the screen.

"The Shadow!" gasped Asuka, and she leapt onto the side of a building. But that was being slowly pulled in as well. She grunted as she used her hand axe and prog knife to dig into eh side of the building, hoisting her self up while using them as footholds.

Misato heard Asuka's words, and she knew that it was going to be a bad day.

"The whole city is sinking!"

"All Eva units," began Misato "I want you to retreat."

"WHAT!" screamed Asuka "But............"

"But pilot Ikari is still inside the angel!" said Rei, her voice sounded almost worried as well.

"Pull out" said Misato between clenched teeth, her voice filled with restrained rage and sorrow "that's an order!"

---------------------------------------------------------------

The actual retreat was quite a feat in itself, with Asuka having to perform a wonder in hopscotch technique, and Billy having to be dragged by his cable to the edge of the city. They could have reactivated him, but Misato gave direct orders not too. It was too risky to have him try another suicidal leap, and his cable started well outside the city limits.

Meanwhile though, Eva-01's umbilical cable was pulled deeper and deeper into the abyss.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Ritsuko stood in front of the assembled crowd, a white board of complex mathematics behind her. The 'crowd' didn't really deserve a name that implied such largeness, it was more like a group huddle. Asuka and Rei stood at the back, Asuka with her arms crossed and her head cast to one side. Rei seemed to be paying attention but you could never be sure with her. Billy was at the front to the right, his back relaxed against a chair. For some one who had just attempted to dive into the unknown factors of a parallel universe, he was quite relaxed. Misato stood near the middle, her arms crossed as well, with a look of almost frustration on her face. The rest of the 'crowd' where the technicians and bridge crew she deemed necessary to be here

She sighed and started her brief.

"The 'shadow' is in fact our real enemy here, our scans show that it has an inverse A.T. field, which works opposite to conventional physics. This is why we see the angels true shadow, the orb you all viewed in the sky. What the angel is composed of can only be explained in abstract mathematics, a shadow that has a thickness of only a few nanometres, but its theory states it as the Sea of Dirac. We have no idea what is inside this 3 nanometre plane, but it could be a whole other universe."

Every nodded their heads, even though no one really understood a word she just said.

"In basic terms," Ritsuko continued "this means that any attack on the angel itself is effectively useless, as anything that comes into contact will just be absorbed."

There was a murmur from the audience, and Ritsuko simply looked at all of them. She had no real answers at this point.

"So how to you plan we kill this thing then, good doctor," said Billy "or do we just wait until it decides to throw Shinji up?"

Ritsuko looked at him, then bowed her head a little.

"At this point, we just don't know."

"And you where the fastest sperm?" said Billy gruffly, his smile now most definitely gone. He'd heard enough of this scientist's theory.

"I say you strap a cable round my Eva and let me dive in there like I wanted too. If you had just let me do it the first time you wouldn't have this many problems. I would have just dragged Shinji out, then hopped back in and finished whatever's inside that thing."

Misato thought it was time to interrupt this child.

"Your actions where completely reckless sixth child," she snapped "you where lucky we stopped you before you got yourself killed."

Billy chuckled a little then returned to his serious state of mind. He rose from his seat and began a slow walk backwards.

"Well I hope you guys have fun theorizing about what this thing is, hope there's a breakthrough REAL soon," he smirked "but I think I'll just leave and kill it now before it decides to absorb everything else!"

He turned to leave, but the three section-2 agents that had been hanging around behind the group stopped him. They didn't actually touch him, but they stood in front of him in a very intimidating way. One circled behind him, forming known in military terms as the 'triangle of capture', meant to intimidate you with the feeling of being surrounded and the fact you are out numbered three to one.

Billy wasn't one to be intimidated though, and gave the two in front of him a sneer. He ignored the one behind him.

Misato walked over to him, she looked dead serious. This was Misato in 'major' mode, and she didn't have the job for looking pretty either.

"Pilot O'Neil, you're actions against my orders where reckless and a danger not only to yourself but the mission and well being of your fellow pilots. You are here by put on permanent long-term leave until stated otherwise. The paper work has already been signed by me and the Operations director in England, he wasn't too happy with that little trick you pulled with the countries most valuable asset"

Billy let out an almost animalistic growl in her direction, but Misato stood her ground. It was hard though, she had read his file and knew what he was capable of.

"I will warn you Pilot, that if you do not co-operate with this order, you will be physically removed from head-quarters."

Billy felt the agent behind him put his hand on his shoulder. He smiled that smile again.......

He spun around, and his head connected with the agent's nose, breaking it instantly. The agent fell back, clutching his face, while his two companions moved forward drawing their pistols as they did so.

Billy was too fast for that though, and fell upon them with a series of devastating kicks and punches to the head and ribs. One fell instantly after an especially hard roundhouse punch, while the other doubled over in pain from an uppercut, only to receive a knee in the head that knocked him out cold.

Billy dodged a punch from the agent with the broken nose and delivered a side rip into his torso, winding him. A kick in the face and the guard fell on the ground beside his partners, blood still oozing from his nostrils.

That was when Billy felt the cold hard press of steel into the back of his head. 'damn' he though 'I'm getting rusty.'

Misato pulled the hammer back with a click, she had had enough of this.

"Pilot," she said "make the choice now, you leave here alive, or dead!"

Billy laughed, he laughed very loud.

"Nice work officer!" he hooted "Ya got me, now you can cuff me and take me away."

Misato did exactly that, cuffing the boy's hands behind his back, and four more agents took their comrades places. Two grabbed Billy roughly, but let go after he gave them that same scary grin as he gave the last guard that man handled him. The other two picked up their fallen companions, and helped them limp off.

Misato lowered her pistol, and turned the safety back on.

"Put him in the lock up over night!" she barked at the retreating figures, and they all replied positively, those that could speak that is.

"The rest of you can leave," she said turning to the stunned audience "I'm sorry you all had to see that, I had hoped that he would co-operate."

Every one started to dissipate, even Rei and Asuka left without much of a word. There was an ever-present murmur in the air over what had just happened.

"Did you see him move! It was like lightning or something, just too fast to follow!" said Hyuga, sounding shocked and even slightly impressed

"All I know is I'm glad he's on our side" replied Makoto, looking up at the roof as he did so.

Misato turned on her own, and walked away. Yeah she had hoped he wouldn't fight them back, but she knew he would anyway. She sighed in her head, she had more important things to worry about.

Like Shinji.

Ritsuko stood alone, looking at the bloodstains on the floor. She had just witnessed a 14 year old boy single handily beat, no, ANNHILATE three fully grown men who had high level combat training. Something here wasn't adding up.

"Dammit it Gendou," she hissed under her breath "what are you up too this time!"

-------------------------------------------------------------

Billy was led into his cell, steel, four-walled room with no furniture save an iron bench. 'Like grandad said,' he thought 'Japanese don't like their prisoners.' He turned and looked at his escort. The man was as tall as he was, which was huge, and even a little broader. His face was cut sharply, and his hair was blonde and slicked back. He looked at Billy with a face that tried to show pure unemotional professionalism, but Billy could almost feel a slight air of contempt and hostility that the other agents did not seem to have. He could not see the mans eyes under his glasses, but he knew he was staring at him.

They stood like that for a while, trying to beat down each others will. Billy saw his opponent twitch his eyebrow, and knew he was winning.

"Why don't you leave secret agent man," said Billy, smiling his most deadly smile yet "before I repeat what happened five minets ago."

The agent smiled, and jutted forward slightly. He had expected Billy too flinch, but just found his face closer to the boys.

"I'd like to see you try" he said quietly, his voice betraying no emotion what so ever. But Billy could feel his anger about his smart-ass comment. Good.

"I'm shaking," said Billy "run along and play."

The agent twitched again, his façade of indifference cracking slightly.

"Hey Simmons, get outta there!" he heard some one bark.

The agent looked Billy up and down, and then turned to leave. But just as he went through the door, he stopped and turned back.

"I'll be seeing you soon punk," he growled, and Billy felt victory yet again.

The door slammed shut, leaving Billy alone in the darkness. He slumped against the wall and lit a cigarette.

"Cant wait........" he said with a laugh.

-------------------------------------

Nothingness.

A Sea of nothing.

Brighter then he thought it would be.

It was like a white screen had descended over the Eva's view scope, blinding its pilot to any kind of hope for escape. There was no horizon, no ground as he could tell, no sky and no perspective. It was just...........

Nothing.

Shinji leaned back and turned off his Eva's visuals, the rainbow array of colours flooding the plug, then going dim once more.

He looked at his wrist, where the plug suits timer counted down. He had ten hours to go, ten hours of life before the LCL stopped getting oxygen and suffocated him. He had heard that drowning was one of the most peaceful ways to go, after you got past the panic and lung pain. You where supposed to fall into a trance and see things, then die quite dreamily.

Didn't sound too bad.

He leant back into his chair and closed his eyes, letting out a deep sigh.

"I'm hungry..........."

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A/N

Phew!

Well thank god THAT'S over, sorry about the delay, but I honestly had to think up some new ideas before the masses started coming for me with pitchforks and torches.

(Notices masses with pitchforks and torches on his front lawn)

HEY, GET OFF MY LAWN! NO DON'T GIVE ME THAT LOOK, SCRAM!

(Masses bow their heads in rejection and wander off.)

Uh....anyway, I have good news and bad news for you fans of the fic, yep all 5 of you. Well sorta bad news and good/bad news, so it's looking pretty grim. Good news first.

Well for one the world didn't end on September 29th, so thankfully we just have to wait for bush to blow us all to hell "we have reason to believe that America has nukes" "uh, sir we are America" "That's exactly what they want us to think FIRE THE MISSILES!!!!" I love being Australian, I get to make calls like that and not get put in jail.

Good/bad news, apparently there will be an Evangelion movie coming out in the future, and I'm at split ideals about it. Rumours are the script is done, along with most of the conceptual art, and they are now looking for a director. Some say Peter Jackson, as the guys doing the effects did the Lord of the ring film, and some say the guy that did Terminator, you know what's his face. Personally I think that Quentin Tarintino should do it, after all he LOVES anime and would make Gendou just evil enough, Misato just drunk enough and Kaji sorta a mix between Samuel L. Jackson and Mister Blonde, nice. Although I think he might make himself play a part........Shigeru anyone?

I myself am quite torn between this movie. Oh I know it will suck, anything that was a game or an anime that gets turned live action sucks ass (except the Mario brothers movie, that was so crazy it was cool) but I'll pay to see it anyway. Hell I'll probably buy it when it hits DVD. The graphics WILL rock and all, but they changed it too much. Rei is now Ray and she has black hair and Asuka's name is now something Heart while Misato's name is now Susan.....what the fuck? But hey who cares, you go to see these movies and you know it will suck, you know it will suck hard. But if you think that, then it wont matter when you feel the urge to stand up and say "SINCE WHEN WHERE THE PILOTS 19-18!!!" cause you can just make little grunting noises as the beautifully done Eva-01 rips open another angel and quietly mutter "heh, cool." I will see this move, love the action scenes and possibly the plot if they really do love the series (but its being made in western world, so they'll dumb it down) and then kick the shit outta that 24-year-old fat geeky guy with the beard who says "but Rei's hair was blue, not black!" You don't like it, don't see the movie just to bag it THIS MEANS PEOPLE LIKE YOU NON-SLASH!

Bad news? The fic is going to be continued....suffer mortals.

Catchya next chapter!

Dark Romeo

FIN


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